UK girl's name
Saalihah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "righteous", "virtuous", or "pious woman".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Saalihah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saalihah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3229, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 10 births.
This profile covers 79 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1997 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 79 living people in the UK are called Saalihah. 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 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Saalihah ranked #3229 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 7 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 10 girls were registered as Saalihah.
- • About 79 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saalihah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3229
2017
Births in 2017
7
Latest year
Peak year
2004
10 births
Estimated living
79
2026
Meaning
What does Saalihah mean?
The name Saalihah is of Arabic origin, derived from the Semitic root "ṣ-l-ḥ" which means "to be good, righteous, or virtuous." It is the feminine form of the masculine name Salih, both names being derived from the same root.
The name Saalihah has a strong connection to Islamic religious texts and is mentioned in the Quran as one of the attributes of God. It is also found in various hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) and is often used to describe righteous individuals.
The earliest recorded use of the name Saalihah dates back to the 7th century CE, during the early days of Islam. One of the most well-known historical figures with this name is Saalihah bint Zubair, a prominent Islamic scholar and narrator of hadiths who lived in the 7th-8th century CE.
Another notable figure is Saalihah al-Nishaburi, a renowned female scholar and mystic from the 10th century CE, who was known for her extensive knowledge of Islamic sciences and her spiritual teachings.
In the 12th century, Saalihah bint Ali al-Sulami gained recognition as a distinguished scholar of Sufism and Islamic jurisprudence. Her contributions to the field of Islamic mysticism and law were widely respected.
During the Ottoman Empire, Saalihah Sultan was a prominent figure in the 16th century. She was the daughter of Sultan Selim I and played an influential role in the political and cultural affairs of the empire.
In more recent history, Saalihah Allaah was a renowned Somali poet and writer who lived in the 20th century (1924-2010). Her works were highly acclaimed for their literary excellence and their promotion of Somali culture and identity.
While these are just a few examples, the name Saalihah has been used throughout history by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, particularly in the realms of Islamic scholarship, literature, and spirituality.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Saalihah over time
The chart below shows babies named Saalihah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Saalihah, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2017, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saalihah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saalihah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4689 | 18 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3329 | 53 | 9 |
| 1990s | #3200 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Saalihah
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Saalihah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Saalihah in the UK right now?
In 2017, Saalihah was ranked #3229 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.
When was Saalihah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 10 babies registered as Saalihah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Saalihah?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "righteous", "virtuous", or "pious woman".
How many people are called Saalihah in the UK?
A total of 79 babies have been registered as Saalihah across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.