NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Saliha

A feminine Arabic name meaning "virtuous woman" or "pious woman".

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.

Saliha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saliha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2771, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 23 births.

This profile covers 362 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 39% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 360 living people in the UK are called Saliha. 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

  • Saliha ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 23 girls were registered as Saliha.
  • About 360 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saliha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2771

2024

Births in 2024

9

Latest year

Peak year

2017

23 births

Estimated living

360

2026

Meaning

What does Saliha mean?

The name Saliha originates from the Arabic language and is derived from the root word "salih," which means "pious," "righteous," or "virtuous." This name has been in use since the early days of Islam and is commonly found in regions where Arabic is spoken or where Islamic culture has had a significant influence.

Saliha is a name that carries deep religious and cultural significance in the Islamic tradition. It is mentioned in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as one of the attributes of a righteous person. The Quran encourages believers to strive for righteousness and to emulate the qualities of those who are considered "salihin" or "saliheen" (plural forms of "salih").

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Saliha can be found in historical accounts from the 7th century CE, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the early Muslim community. Several prominent figures from this era bore the name, including Saliha bint Suhail, a companion of the Prophet and one of the early converts to Islam.

Throughout history, the name Saliha has been associated with various notable individuals. One such person was Saliha al-Marrakushiyya, a 12th-century Muslim scholar and poet from Morocco. She was renowned for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her contributions to the literary and intellectual traditions of her time.

Another prominent figure named Saliha was Saliha Sultan, a 16th-century Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for the construction of several mosques and educational institutions in Istanbul.

In the modern era, Saliha Diab, born in 1941, was a renowned Syrian writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social justice. Her works focused on the struggles and experiences of women in Arab societies, and she was widely recognized for her literary achievements.

Saliha Murad, born in 1949, is a prominent Kurdish politician and human rights activist from Turkey. She has been a leading figure in the struggle for Kurdish rights and has worked tirelessly to promote peace and reconciliation in the region.

The name Saliha has been bestowed upon numerous individuals throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields, from literature and academia to politics and activism. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its deep-rooted cultural and religious significance, as well as its association with virtuous qualities that are highly esteemed in many societies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Saliha over time

The chart below shows babies named Saliha 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 Saliha, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 23 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Saliha
06121723199620102024

Decades

Saliha by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saliha 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 #2414 54 5
2010s #1867 158 10
2000s #1757 122 10
1990s #2244 28 4

Related

Names similar to Saliha

FAQ

Saliha: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Saliha was ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.

When was Saliha most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 23 babies registered as Saliha in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Saliha?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "virtuous woman" or "pious woman".

How many people are called Saliha in the UK?

A total of 362 babies have been registered as Saliha across the 29 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.