NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Saja

A feminine Arabic name meaning "one who converses with God".

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.

Saja is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saja popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3318, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 17 births.

This profile covers 159 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 2000 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 41% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 161 living people in the UK are called Saja. 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

  • Saja ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2012, when 17 girls were registered as Saja.
  • Saja ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #815 in 2012.
  • About 161 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saja as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3318

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2012

17 births

Estimated living

161

2026

Meaning

What does Saja mean?

The given name Saja has its origins in the Arabic language, tracing back to the ancient Middle Eastern and North African regions. It is derived from the Arabic word "saja," meaning "to weave" or "to intertwine," symbolizing the intricate tapestry of life.

In Islamic tradition, Saja is mentioned as the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, who lived in the 7th century CE. This early association with a prominent figure in Islamic history contributed to the name's enduring significance within Arab and Muslim communities.

Historically, the name Saja has been recorded in various ancient texts and manuscripts from the region. One notable early reference can be found in the 10th-century work "Al-Aghani" by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, which chronicles the lives and works of renowned Arabic poets and musicians.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals bearing the name Saja have left their mark on history. One such figure was Saja al-Mulki, a renowned 11th-century Arab poet and scholar from present-day Iraq, renowned for her mastery of Arabic literature and calligraphy.

Another notable bearer of the name was Saja al-Rifa'i, a 12th-century Sufi mystic and spiritual leader from Syria, who played a significant role in spreading Islamic teachings and promoting spiritual enlightenment.

In the realm of Islamic scholarship, Saja al-Baghdadi, born in 1199 CE, was a prominent scholar and historian from Baghdad, renowned for his contributions to the study of Islamic jurisprudence and hadith literature.

Moving forward in time, Saja Qadri, born in 1786 CE, was a renowned Islamic scholar and poet from India, whose works advocated for social reform and the empowerment of women through education.

Lastly, Saja Nasr, born in 1918 in Lebanon, was a pioneer in the field of modern Arabic literature, known for her novels and short stories that explored themes of identity, gender, and societal change in the Arab world.

The name Saja has transcended generations and cultures, carrying with it a rich tapestry of history, spirituality, and literary expression, leaving an indelible mark on the diverse heritage of the Arabic-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Saja over time

The chart below shows babies named Saja registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 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 Saja, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 17 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Saja
0491317200020122024

Decades

Saja by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saja 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 #3264 37 5
2010s #3272 81 10
2000s #3076 41 6

Geography

Where Saja is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Saja. 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.

Saja ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #815 in 2012.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Saja in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#815 in 2012

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Saja

FAQ

Saja: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Saja was ranked #3318 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Saja most popular?

The peak year on record was 2012, with 17 babies registered as Saja in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Saja?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "one who converses with God".

How many people are called Saja in the UK?

A total of 159 babies have been registered as Saja across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Saja most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Saja ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #815 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.