UK girl's name
Sabirah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "patient", "long-suffering" or "persevering".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sabirah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sabirah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 8 births.
This profile covers 63 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 1998 to 2023. 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 63 living people in the UK are called Sabirah. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sabirah ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 8 girls were registered as Sabirah.
- • About 63 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sabirah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
8 births
Estimated living
63
2026
Meaning
What does Sabirah mean?
The name Sabirah is an Arabic name derived from the root word "sabr" which means patience or perseverance. It is a feminine name that has been used in the Middle East and Islamic cultures for centuries.
The name Sabirah can be traced back to the 7th century CE when it was first recorded in historical texts and religious scriptures. It is believed to have been used as a name for women who embodied the virtues of patience and resilience.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sabirah is found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. The name is mentioned in the context of a woman who was known for her patience and steadfastness in the face of adversity.
Throughout history, there have been several notable women who bore the name Sabirah. One of the most famous was Sabirah bint al-Husayn (born c. 630 CE), a prominent female scholar and jurist from the early Islamic era. She was renowned for her knowledge of Islamic law and her contributions to the field of hadith (the sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad).
Another famous Sabirah was Sabirah al-Aslamiyyah (born c. 1150 CE), a Sufi mystic and poet from Persia. Her poetry was widely celebrated for its spiritual depth and lyrical beauty, and she is considered one of the most influential female poets of the medieval Islamic world.
In the 13th century, there was a Sabirah bint al-Qadi (born c. 1210 CE), a prominent physician and scholar from Damascus. She was known for her expertise in medicine and her contributions to the field of ophthalmology.
A more recent example is Sabirah al-Jadiriyah (1885-1955), an Iraqi poet and activist who played a significant role in the Arab literary renaissance of the early 20th century. Her poetry focused on themes of social justice, women's rights, and Arab nationalism.
Lastly, Sabirah al-Khair (1923-2016) was a Syrian writer and activist who dedicated her life to promoting education and literacy in the Arab world. She founded several schools and organizations aimed at empowering women and children through education.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sabirah over time
The chart below shows babies named Sabirah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sabirah, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sabirah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sabirah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5687 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4886 | 20 | 5 |
| 2000s | #3454 | 35 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2701 | 5 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Sabirah
- 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
Sabirah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sabirah in the UK right now?
In 2023, Sabirah was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sabirah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 8 babies registered as Sabirah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sabirah?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "patient", "long-suffering" or "persevering".
How many people are called Sabirah in the UK?
A total of 63 babies have been registered as Sabirah across the 14 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.