UK girl's name
Saffa
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "pure" or "noble".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Saffa is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saffa popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 26 births.
This profile covers 329 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. 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 19% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 327 living people in the UK are called Saffa. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Saffa ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 26 girls were registered as Saffa.
- • About 327 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saffa as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4192
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2004
26 births
Estimated living
327
2026
Meaning
What does Saffa mean?
The name Saffa likely has its origins in the Arabic language, where it is derived from the word "safa," meaning "purity" or "clarity." This name is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic period, around the 7th century AD, when Arabic culture and language were spreading across the Middle East and parts of North Africa.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Saffa can be found in Islamic literature, specifically in the works of renowned scholars and writers from the medieval era. For instance, the 9th-century scholar Al-Jahiz references a person named Saffa in his writings, suggesting that the name was in use during that time.
Throughout history, the name Saffa has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest known figures with this name was Saffa ibn Saeed al-Kinani, a 7th-century companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a prominent military commander during the early Islamic conquests.
Another prominent individual with the name Saffa was Saffa al-Dimashqi, a 10th-century Arabic poet and scholar from Damascus. His works, which included poetry and treatises on various subjects, were widely celebrated during his lifetime and have been preserved in various manuscripts.
In the 12th century, Saffa ibn al-Muhassin al-Baghdadi was a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist from Baghdad. He made significant contributions to the field of Islamic jurisprudence and authored several works on the subject.
Fast-forwarding to the 20th century, Saffa Rafi was an Egyptian writer and journalist who played a significant role in the Arab literary renaissance. Born in 1894, she was a pioneering figure in advocating for women's rights and education in Egypt.
Another notable figure with the name Saffa was Saffa Khulusi, an Iraqi poet and author born in 1937. Known for his romantic and patriotic poetry, Khulusi's works have been widely published and celebrated in the Arab world.
While the name Saffa has its roots in Arabic culture and language, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and regions over the centuries. However, its precise origins and earliest recorded usages can be traced back to the Middle East and the early Islamic period.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Saffa over time
The chart below shows babies named Saffa registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Saffa, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saffa by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saffa 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 | #3744 | 30 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2176 | 135 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1672 | 151 | 10 |
| 1990s | #3113 | 13 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Saffa
- 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
Saffa: questions and answers
How popular is the name Saffa in the UK right now?
In 2024, Saffa was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Saffa most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 26 babies registered as Saffa in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Saffa?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "pure" or "noble".
How many people are called Saffa in the UK?
A total of 329 babies have been registered as Saffa across the 28 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.