NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Safiah

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "pure" or "sincere".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Safiah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Safiah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5742, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 6 births.

This profile covers 27 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 1997 to 2013. 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 27 living people in the UK are called Safiah. 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 2014 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Safiah ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales in 2013, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2007, when 6 girls were registered as Safiah.
  • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Safiah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5742

2013

Births in 2013

3

Latest year

Peak year

2007

6 births

Estimated living

27

2026

Meaning

What does Safiah mean?

The name Safiah is of Arabic origin and has been in use since ancient times. It is derived from the root word "safa," which means "purity" or "clarity" in Arabic. The name is associated with the concepts of beauty, purity, and virtue.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Safiah can be found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In the Quran, Safiah bint Huyayy ibn Akhtab was a Jewish woman who was captured during a battle and later married to the Prophet Muhammad. Her story is mentioned in various verses and hadith (sayings of the Prophet).

In the 7th century, there was a notable woman named Safiah bint Abd al-Muttalib, who was the aunt of the Prophet Muhammad. She played a significant role in early Islamic history and was known for her wisdom and leadership.

During the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258 CE), Safiah al-Ramliyah was a renowned poet and scholar. She was highly respected for her literary contributions and her expertise in various fields, including poetry, grammar, and hadith.

In the 11th century, Safiah bint Abd al-Malik al-Hadrami was a prominent Sufi mystic and scholar from Yemen. She was known for her spiritual teachings and her influence in the spread of Sufism in the region.

Another notable figure with the name Safiah was Safiah Sultan, who lived in the 16th century. She was the wife of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and played an influential role in the Ottoman Empire.

Throughout history, the name Safiah has been carried by numerous women from various cultures and backgrounds, reflecting its timeless appeal and deep-rooted meaning in Arabic culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Safiah over time

The chart below shows babies named Safiah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Safiah, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2013, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Safiah
02356199720052013

Decades

Safiah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Safiah 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 #5742 3 1
2000s #3979 18 4
1990s #3836 6 2

Related

Names similar to Safiah

FAQ

Safiah: questions and answers

How popular is the name Safiah in the UK right now?

In 2013, Safiah was ranked #5742 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Safiah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2007, with 6 babies registered as Safiah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Safiah?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "pure" or "sincere".

How many people are called Safiah in the UK?

A total of 27 babies have been registered as Safiah across the 7 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.