UK girl's name
Seda
A feminine Turkish name of Arabic origin meaning "branch" or "shoot".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Seda is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Seda popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5785, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 8 births.
This profile covers 47 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1996 to 2016. 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 47 living people in the UK are called Seda. 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 2017 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Seda ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2016, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 8 girls were registered as Seda.
- • About 47 living people in the UK are estimated to have Seda as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5785
2016
Births in 2016
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
8 births
Estimated living
47
2026
Meaning
What does Seda mean?
The name Seda has its origins in the Turkish language. It is a feminine given name that dates back to the Ottoman Empire period in the 15th to 20th centuries. The name is believed to be derived from the Turkish word "seda," which means "echo" or "sound."
In Ottoman Turkish culture, the name Seda was often associated with beauty, grace, and melodiousness. It was a popular name among the upper classes and nobility of the Ottoman Empire. The name may have been inspired by the idea of a beautiful voice or the echoing of a pleasant sound.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Seda can be found in the Ottoman court records from the 16th century. Seda Sultan, born in 1542, was an Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Selim II. She played a significant role in the Ottoman political and cultural landscape during her lifetime.
Another notable figure with the name Seda was Seda Sayan, a Turkish singer, actress, and television personality born in 1954. She rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s and became a renowned figure in the Turkish entertainment industry.
In the literary world, Seda Nur Karakulak (1972-2022) was a Turkish author and poet known for her works exploring themes of identity, love, and womanhood. Her poetry collection, "Seda," published in 2010, was widely acclaimed.
The name Seda also has a significant presence in the academic realm. Seda Renda (1945-2021) was a renowned Turkish economist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of international trade and economic development.
In the realm of sports, Seda Nur Karakurt (born 1995) is a Turkish volleyball player who has represented her country in international competitions and won numerous accolades, including a gold medal at the 2022 Volleyball Women's Nations League.
While the name Seda has its roots in Turkish culture, it has gained popularity globally and has been adopted by various communities around the world, transcending cultural boundaries and becoming a symbol of beauty, grace, and melodiousness.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Seda over time
The chart below shows babies named Seda registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Seda, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2016, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Seda by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Seda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5785 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3812 | 24 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2864 | 20 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Seda
- 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
Seda: questions and answers
How popular is the name Seda in the UK right now?
In 2016, Seda was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Seda most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 8 babies registered as Seda in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Seda?
A feminine Turkish name of Arabic origin meaning "branch" or "shoot".
How many people are called Seda in the UK?
A total of 47 babies have been registered as Seda across the 11 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.