UK girl's name
Shadiya
A feminine Arabic name meaning "the one who guides or guides well".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shadiya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shadiya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 4 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2005 to 2009. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Shadiya. 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 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shadiya ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 4 girls were registered as Shadiya.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shadiya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5556
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
2005
4 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Meaning
What does Shadiya mean?
The name Shadiya originates from the Arabic language and has its roots in the word "shade," which means "shade" or "shadow." This name was likely first used in the Arabian Peninsula during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century CE.
Shadiya is a variant of the more common Arabic name Shadia, which is derived from the Arabic root word "shada," meaning "to be happy" or "to rejoice." The name Shadiya may have been used as a reference to the feeling of joy and happiness, or as a wish for the child to bring happiness and contentment to their family.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shadiya can be found in the 9th century CE, when a female poet named Shadiya bint Al-Mutanabbi was born in Kufa, Iraq (828–905 CE). She was known for her talented poetry and her contributions to Arabic literature.
In the 11th century, there was a notable Islamic scholar and historian named Shadiya al-Nahrawani (1008–1098 CE), who was born in Nahrawān, Iraq. She wrote several books on Islamic history and jurisprudence, and her works were widely respected in the region.
Another historical figure with the name Shadiya was Shadiya Bint Hashim (1059–1138 CE), a princess from the Abbasid dynasty in Baghdad. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for poets and scholars during her lifetime.
In the 13th century, Shadiya al-Misriya (1211–1270 CE) was a renowned Sufi mystic and poet from Egypt. She was known for her spiritual teachings and her influential works on Sufism, which have been widely studied and translated.
Lastly, in the 16th century, Shadiya Begum (1528–1604 CE) was a prominent female ruler and the wife of the Mughal Emperor Humayun. She played a significant role in the administration of the Mughal Empire and was known for her political acumen and leadership skills.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Shadiya, highlighting its rich cultural heritage and historical significance in the Arabic-speaking world and beyond.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shadiya over time
The chart below shows babies named Shadiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Shadiya, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shadiya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shadiya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4886 | 17 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Shadiya
- 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
Shadiya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shadiya in the UK right now?
In 2009, Shadiya was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shadiya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 4 babies registered as Shadiya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shadiya?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "the one who guides or guides well".
How many people are called Shadiya in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Shadiya 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.