UK girl's name
Shahla
A Persian feminine name meaning "auspicious" or "beautiful".
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.
Shahla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shahla 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 2002, with 4 births.
This profile covers 27 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 1999 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 27 living people in the UK are called Shahla. 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
- • Shahla ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales in 2016, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2002, when 4 girls were registered as Shahla.
- • About 27 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shahla 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
2002
4 births
Estimated living
27
2026
Meaning
What does Shahla mean?
The name Shahla is believed to have originated in the Persian language, which is spoken primarily in Iran and parts of Central Asia. The name is derived from the Persian word "shāh," meaning "king" or "sovereign," and the suffix "-lā," which is often used to create feminine names.
In Persian culture, the name Shahla is associated with beauty, grace, and nobility. It is often given to girls with the hope that they will embody these qualities and lead a life of dignity and respect.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shahla can be found in the Shahnameh, an epic Persian poem written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. In this literary masterpiece, Shahla is mentioned as the name of a beautiful and virtuous princess.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Shahla. One of the most prominent was Shahla Habibi (1958-2010), an Iranian writer and women's rights activist who was imprisoned and executed for her political beliefs during the Iranian Revolution.
Another influential Shahla was Shahla Riahi (1923-2021), an Iranian painter and sculptor who was one of the first women in her country to receive formal art training. Her works have been exhibited worldwide and are celebrated for their fusion of traditional Persian motifs with modern techniques.
In the realm of politics, Shahla Charendoff (born 1944) is a notable figure. She served as the Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations from 1996 to 2002, becoming the first woman to hold that position for her country.
The name Shahla has also been borne by several accomplished athletes. Shahla Vaziri (born 1972) is an Iranian-born American wrestler who won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Shahla Jalali (born 1964) is an Iranian former boxer who competed in the lightweight division and won numerous international competitions.
While the name Shahla is predominantly associated with Persian culture, it has also been adopted by various other communities around the world, particularly in regions with significant Iranian diaspora populations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Shahla over time
The chart below shows babies named Shahla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 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 Shahla, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2016, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shahla by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shahla 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 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4008 | 18 | 5 |
| 1990s | #3900 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Shahla
- 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
Shahla: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shahla in the UK right now?
In 2016, Shahla was ranked #5785 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shahla most popular?
The peak year on record was 2002, with 4 babies registered as Shahla in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shahla?
A Persian feminine name meaning "auspicious" or "beautiful".
How many people are called Shahla in the UK?
A total of 27 babies have been registered as Shahla across the 8 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.