NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Safiye

A feminine Turkish name derived from the Arabic word "safi" meaning "pure" or "sincere".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Safiye is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Safiye popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4634, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 6 births.

This profile covers 84 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 1996 to 2021. 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 84 living people in the UK are called Safiye. 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 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Safiye ranked #4634 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 6 girls were registered as Safiye.
  • About 84 living people in the UK are estimated to have Safiye as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4634

2021

Births in 2021

4

Latest year

Peak year

2008

6 births

Estimated living

84

2026

Meaning

What does Safiye mean?

The name Safiye is of Turkish origin, derived from the Arabic word "safiyya," meaning "pure" or "sincere." This name has a long and fascinating history rooted in the Islamic faith and cultural traditions of the Middle East.

Safiye traces its roots back to the 7th century, when it was first used during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. One of the most notable historical figures to bear this name was Safiyya bint Huyayy, a Jewish woman who married the Prophet Muhammad after her husband was killed in battle. She is revered in Islamic tradition for her piety and wisdom.

The name Safiye gained popularity throughout the Islamic world and was particularly common among the Ottoman Turks, who ruled a vast empire spanning parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa for over six centuries. During the Ottoman era, several notable women bore the name Safiye, including Safiye Sultan, the wife of Sultan Murad III, who lived from 1550 to 1619.

Another prominent figure in history with the name Safiye was Safiye Ünüvar, a Turkish author, and feminist who lived from 1900 to 1983. She was a pioneering figure in the women's rights movement in Turkey and wrote several novels and short stories that explored themes of gender equality and social justice.

In the realm of literature, the name Safiye has also been immortalized in works such as the 19th-century Ottoman novel "Felatun Bey and Rakım Efendi" by Ahmet Mithat Efendi, where one of the main characters is named Safiye.

Other notable individuals who have borne the name Safiye throughout history include Safiye Ayla, a Turkish singer and actress who lived from 1924 to 1998, and Safiye Ali, an Egyptian feminist and writer who lived from 1923 to 2018.

While the name Safiye has its roots in the Islamic world, it has also been embraced by various cultures and communities across the globe, making it a truly multicultural name with a rich and diverse history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Safiye over time

The chart below shows babies named Safiye registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Safiye, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2021, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Safiye
02356199620082021

Decades

Safiye by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Safiye 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 #4634 4 1
2010s #4550 40 9
2000s #3543 33 7
1990s #3485 7 2

Related

Names similar to Safiye

FAQ

Safiye: questions and answers

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

In 2021, Safiye was ranked #4634 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Safiye most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 6 babies registered as Safiye in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Safiye?

A feminine Turkish name derived from the Arabic word "safi" meaning "pure" or "sincere".

How many people are called Safiye in the UK?

A total of 84 babies have been registered as Safiye across the 19 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.