NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Saudah

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "blissful" or "happy".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Saudah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saudah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3970, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 8 births.

This profile covers 60 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 1997 to 2022. 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 60 living people in the UK are called Saudah. 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 2023 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Saudah ranked #3970 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2003, when 8 girls were registered as Saudah.
  • About 60 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saudah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3970

2022

Births in 2022

5

Latest year

Peak year

2003

8 births

Estimated living

60

2026

Meaning

What does Saudah mean?

The name Saudah originates from the Arabic language and culture. It is a feminine name that has been in use for centuries, particularly in the Middle East and parts of North Africa.

In Arabic, the name Saudah is derived from the root word "sawad," which means "blackness" or "darkness." This root word is often associated with beauty, as dark hair and eyes were considered attractive features in traditional Arabic culture.

One of the earliest historical references to the name Saudah can be found in the Quran, the holy book of Islam. In the Quran, Saudah bint Zam'ah was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. She was known for her generosity and her willingness to sacrifice her turn with the Prophet for the sake of another wife.

Throughout history, there have been several notable women named Saudah. One of the most famous was Saudah al-Hindiyyah, a renowned 10th-century poet from Baghdad. Her poetry was highly regarded for its lyrical beauty and profound insights.

Another notable Saudah was Saudah bint al-Husayn, a 12th-century scholar and writer from Persia. She was renowned for her expertise in the fields of theology, literature, and jurisprudence.

In the 13th century, Saudah bint al-Malik al-Kamil was a prominent figure in the Ayyubid dynasty of Egypt and Syria. She was known for her political acumen and her patronage of the arts and sciences.

Saudah bint Abi Sufyan, who lived in the 7th century, was a prominent figure in early Islamic history. She was a daughter of one of the leaders of the Quraysh tribe and was known for her intelligence and wisdom.

While the name Saudah has its roots in Arabic culture, it has transcended cultural and linguistic boundaries over the centuries. It has been embraced by people of various backgrounds and has taken on different meanings and associations in different contexts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Saudah over time

The chart below shows babies named Saudah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Saudah, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2022, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Saudah
02468199720092022

Decades

Saudah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saudah 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 #4732 8 2
2010s #5677 12 4
2000s #3978 37 9
1990s #3824 3 1

Related

Names similar to Saudah

FAQ

Saudah: questions and answers

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

In 2022, Saudah was ranked #3970 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Saudah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2003, with 8 babies registered as Saudah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Saudah?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "blissful" or "happy".

How many people are called Saudah in the UK?

A total of 60 babies have been registered as Saudah across the 16 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.