UK girl's name
Samah
Of Arabic origin, meaning "lofty" or "elevated" in status.
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.
Samah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Samah 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 2003, with 27 births.
This profile covers 384 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 382 living people in the UK are called Samah. 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
- • Samah ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2003, when 27 girls were registered as Samah.
- • About 382 living people in the UK are estimated to have Samah 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
2003
27 births
Estimated living
382
2026
Meaning
What does Samah mean?
The name Samah is of Arabic origin, derived from the Semitic root word "sama," which means "high" or "elevated." It is believed to have emerged during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century AD, in the Arabian Peninsula.
Samah is a name that carries a sense of nobility, grandeur, and spiritual elevation. In Islamic literature and poetry, it is often associated with the concepts of ascension, loftiness, and reaching towards the heavens. The name's connection to these profound themes may have contributed to its enduring popularity among Arab and Muslim communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Samah can be found in the works of renowned Arab poets and writers from the medieval period. For example, the 9th-century poet Abu Tammam mentioned a person named Samah in one of his celebrated poems, praising their virtues and noble character.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Samah. One of the most prominent was Samah ibn Luth al-Azdi (born c. 670 AD), a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and a revered scholar of Islamic jurisprudence. His teachings and contributions to the development of Islamic law have been widely recognized and studied.
Another historical figure of note was Samah al-Mulawwahah (born c. 940 AD), a renowned Andalusian poet and calligrapher from the era of the Umayyad Caliphate in Spain. Her literary works, characterized by their elegance and emotional depth, have been celebrated across the Arab world.
In the 12th century, Samah al-Din al-Isfahani (born c. 1110 AD) was a prominent philosopher and scientist from the Persian region. His contributions to the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and logic were highly regarded during the Golden Age of Islamic civilization.
Another notable bearer of the name was Samah al-Maqdisi (born c. 1245 AD), a renowned Sufi mystic and scholar from Jerusalem. His writings on spiritual enlightenment and the pursuit of inner peace have been widely studied and revered by Sufis and scholars alike.
More recently, in the 20th century, Samah Idris (born 1942) was a respected Egyptian writer and activist whose works explored themes of social justice, feminism, and the struggles of the Arab world. Her novels and essays have been widely acclaimed and translated into multiple languages.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Samah, each leaving their unique mark on literature, scholarship, spirituality, and various other fields of human endeavor.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Samah over time
The chart below shows babies named Samah 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 Samah, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 27 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Samah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Samah 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 | #3911 | 30 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2234 | 126 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1303 | 188 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1743 | 40 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Samah
- 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
Samah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Samah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Samah was ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Samah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2003, with 27 babies registered as Samah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Samah?
Of Arabic origin, meaning "lofty" or "elevated" in status.
How many people are called Samah in the UK?
A total of 384 babies have been registered as Samah 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.