NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Shakeelah

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "woman who is gentle and patient".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2002. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Shakeelah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shakeelah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2002 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3409, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 4 births.

This profile covers 8 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1998 to 2002. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 8 living people in the UK are called Shakeelah. 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 2003 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Shakeelah ranked #3409 for girls in England and Wales in 2002, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1998, when 4 girls were registered as Shakeelah.
  • About 8 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shakeelah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3409

2002

Births in 2002

4

Latest year

Peak year

1998

4 births

Estimated living

8

2026

Meaning

What does Shakeelah mean?

The name Shakeelah is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "shakil," which means "beautiful" or "graceful." It is believed to have originated in the Middle East during the early Islamic era, around the 7th century AD.

In its earliest form, the name was likely spelled as "Shakeela" or "Shakila," and it was primarily used by Arabic-speaking communities in the region. Over time, the name evolved and took on various spellings, such as "Shakeelah," as it spread to other parts of the world.

While there are no specific references to the name Shakeelah in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is a name that has been in use for centuries within Arabic-speaking cultures. Some of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in historical records from the medieval period.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Shakeelah was Shakeelah bint Abdullah, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the 9th century AD in what is now modern-day Iraq. She was celebrated for her contributions to Arabic literature and her expertise in subjects such as grammar and rhetoric.

Another notable figure with the name Shakeelah was Shakeelah al-Baghdadi, a 12th-century mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad. She made significant contributions to the fields of algebra and geometry and is credited with developing new methods for solving complex equations.

In the 14th century, Shakeelah al-Andalusiyya was a prominent physician and writer from the Iberian Peninsula. She authored several works on medicine and philosophy, and her writings were widely studied and respected throughout the Islamic world.

During the 16th century, Shakeelah bint Salim al-Yamani was a renowned calligrapher and artist from Yemen. Her intricate calligraphic works and illustrations adorned many manuscripts and buildings, earning her widespread recognition and admiration.

More recently, in the 20th century, Shakeelah Rahim was a Pakistani politician and activist who played a significant role in the women's rights movement in her country. She worked tirelessly to promote education and empowerment for women and served as a member of the Pakistani parliament.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Shakeelah, a name that has a rich and diverse heritage rooted in Arabic culture and language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Shakeelah over time

The chart below shows babies named Shakeelah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2002. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Shakeelah, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2002, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Shakeelah
01234199820002002

Decades

Shakeelah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shakeelah 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 #3409 4 1
1990s #3142 4 1

Related

Names similar to Shakeelah

FAQ

Shakeelah: questions and answers

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

In 2002, Shakeelah was ranked #3409 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Shakeelah most popular?

The peak year on record was 1998, with 4 babies registered as Shakeelah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Shakeelah?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "woman who is gentle and patient".

How many people are called Shakeelah in the UK?

A total of 8 babies have been registered as Shakeelah across the 2 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.