UK girl's name
Rukhsana
A Persian name meaning "gorgeous face" or "bright countenance".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2000. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Rukhsana is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Rukhsana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2000 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3912, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1996 to 2000. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Rukhsana. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2001 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Rukhsana ranked #3912 for girls in England and Wales in 2000, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 4 girls were registered as Rukhsana.
- • Rukhsana ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #512 in 1983.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rukhsana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3912
2000
Births in 2000
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
4 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Rukhsana mean?
The name Rukhsana originates from the Persian language and culture. It is derived from the Persian word "روخسار" (romanized as "rukhsar"), which means "face" or "countenance". The name is believed to have emerged in the Middle Ages, during the height of the Persian Empire.
In Persian literature and poetry, the word "rukhsar" was often used as a metaphor to describe beauty and radiance. The name Rukhsana was given to girls with the intention of wishing them to have a beautiful and glowing face, reflecting inner and outer beauty.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Rukhsana can be found in the famous Persian epic poem "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings), written by the poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In this epic, there is a character named Rukhsana who is described as a beautiful and virtuous woman.
Throughout history, there have been several notable women who bore the name Rukhsana. One prominent example is Rukhsana Sultana (1922-2003), a renowned Bangladeshi author and feminist activist who fought for women's rights and education in her country.
Another notable Rukhsana was Rukhsana Noor (1940-2005), a Pakistani classical singer and musician who was widely acclaimed for her contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional Pakistani music.
In the realm of sports, Rukhsana Parveen (born 1990) is a Pakistani cricketer who has represented her country in numerous international tournaments and is considered one of the best bowlers in the Pakistani women's cricket team.
Another historical figure was Rukhsana Khanum (1865-1933), an Indian poetess and courtesan who was renowned for her literary works and contributions to the Urdu language and literature during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Rukhsana Chughtai (1912-1992) was a notable Pakistani artist and writer who is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Urdu literature and art of the 20th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rukhsana over time
The chart below shows babies named Rukhsana registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2000. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Rukhsana, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2000, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rukhsana by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rukhsana was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3912 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #3475 | 7 | 2 |
Geography
Where Rukhsana is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Rukhsana. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Rukhsana ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #512 in 1983.
Across the UK
Rukhsana in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#512 in 1983
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Rukhsana
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Rukhsana: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rukhsana in the UK right now?
In 2000, Rukhsana was ranked #3912 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rukhsana most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 4 babies registered as Rukhsana in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rukhsana?
A Persian name meaning "gorgeous face" or "bright countenance".
How many people are called Rukhsana in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Rukhsana across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Rukhsana most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Rukhsana ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #512 in 1983. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.