NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Seham

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "arrow" or "spear".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Seham is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Seham popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5765, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 5 births.

This profile covers 18 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2003 to 2017. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 18 living people in the UK are called Seham. 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 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Seham ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 5 girls were registered as Seham.
  • About 18 living people in the UK are estimated to have Seham as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5765

2017

Births in 2017

3

Latest year

Peak year

2005

5 births

Estimated living

18

2026

Meaning

What does Seham mean?

The name Seham is of Arabic origin and is derived from the Arabic word "sham" which means "air" or "breeze." It is believed to have originated in the Middle East during the medieval period, around the 7th to 13th centuries.

The name was popularized in the region due to its association with the beautiful and poetic imagery of a gentle breeze. It was often used to describe someone with a calm and serene demeanor, or someone who brought a sense of peace and tranquility to their surroundings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Seham can be found in the historical records of the Abbasid Caliphate, which ruled over a vast empire spanning from North Africa to Central Asia between the 8th and 13th centuries. Seham was mentioned as the name of a prominent female scholar and poet who lived during the reign of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu'tasim in the 9th century.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Seham. One of the most famous was Seham Al-Kurdi, a renowned Arab poet and writer who lived in the 10th century. She was renowned for her eloquent and evocative poetry, which often explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience.

Another notable figure was Seham Al-Samawi, a celebrated Islamic scholar and jurist from the 12th century. She was highly respected for her extensive knowledge of Islamic law and her contributions to the field of jurisprudence.

In the 13th century, Seham Al-Andalusi was a prominent mathematician and astronomer from the Andalusian region of Spain. She made significant contributions to the development of trigonometry and was highly regarded for her scientific achievements.

During the 14th century, Seham Al-Baghdadi was a renowned calligrapher and artist from Baghdad. Her intricate and beautiful calligraphic works were highly sought after and are still admired today for their artistic excellence.

Finally, in the 16th century, Seham Al-Dimashqi was a celebrated poet and playwright from Damascus. Her works were widely acclaimed for their emotional depth and poetic mastery, and she is considered one of the greatest literary figures of her time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Seham over time

The chart below shows babies named Seham registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Seham, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Seham
01345200320102017

Decades

Seham by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Seham 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 #5765 3 1
2000s #4433 15 4

Related

Names similar to Seham

FAQ

Seham: questions and answers

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

In 2017, Seham was ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Seham most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 5 babies registered as Seham in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Seham?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "arrow" or "spear".

How many people are called Seham in the UK?

A total of 18 babies have been registered as Seham across the 5 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.