UK girl's name
Safiya
An Arabic feminine name meaning "pure", "sincere", or "truthful".
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.
Safiya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Safiya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #481, with 84 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 96 births.
This profile covers 1,896 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 88% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,893 living people in the UK are called Safiya. 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
- • Safiya ranked #481 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 84 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 96 girls were registered as Safiya.
- • Safiya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #383 in 2012.
- • About 1,893 living people in the UK are estimated to have Safiya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#481
2024
Births in 2024
84
Latest year
Peak year
2011
96 births
Estimated living
1,893
2026
Meaning
What does Safiya mean?
The name Safiya has its roots in the Arabic language and has been in use for centuries across various regions of the Middle East and North Africa. Its origins can be traced back to the Arabic word "safaa," which means "purity" or "clarity."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Safiya can be found in Islamic history, where it was the name of a Jewish woman who became the wife of the Prophet Muhammad after the conquest of Khaybar in the 7th century. This event is mentioned in various Islamic texts and historical records.
In the 10th century, Safiya al-Saghira was a prominent female poet and scholar from Cordoba, Spain, known for her contributions to the literary and intellectual circles of the time. Her poetry and writings have been preserved and studied by scholars over the centuries.
Another notable figure with the name Safiya was Safiya Bint Huyayy, a 7th-century woman who played a significant role in early Islamic history. She was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and is celebrated for her wisdom, piety, and dedication to the faith.
In the 13th century, Safiya al-Andalusiya was a renowned Muslim scholar and poet from Seville, Spain. Her literary works, particularly her poetry, were highly acclaimed and influenced the literary traditions of her time.
During the Ottoman Empire, Safiya Sultan, born in 1550 and died in 1619, was a prominent figure. She was the wife of Sultan Murad III and served as the Valide Sultan (Queen Mother) during the reign of her son, Sultan Mehmed III.
These examples illustrate the historical significance and enduring presence of the name Safiya across different eras and regions, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and association with notable figures in various fields, including literature, scholarship, and leadership.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Safiya over time
The chart below shows babies named Safiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Safiya, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 84 births in 2024, compared with 96 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Safiya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Safiya 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 | #539 | 371 | 5 |
| 2010s | #527 | 811 | 10 |
| 2000s | #558 | 609 | 10 |
| 1990s | #859 | 105 | 4 |
Geography
Where Safiya is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Safiya. 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.
Safiya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #383 in 2012.
Across the UK
Safiya in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#815 in 2012
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#383 in 2012
1 years of NISRA records, 4 total registered
Related
Names similar to Safiya
- 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
Safiya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Safiya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Safiya was ranked #481 for girls in England and Wales, with 84 births registered.
When was Safiya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 96 babies registered as Safiya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Safiya?
An Arabic feminine name meaning "pure", "sincere", or "truthful".
How many people are called Safiya in the UK?
A total of 1,896 babies have been registered as Safiya across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland and 4 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Safiya most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Safiya ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #383 in 2012. 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.