NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Shayah

A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Arabic or Indian.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Shayah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shayah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4050, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 5 births.

This profile covers 24 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2006 to 2013. 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.

Shayah is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 24 living people in the UK are called Shayah. 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 2014 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Shayah ranked #4050 for girls in England and Wales in 2013, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2013, when 5 girls were registered as Shayah.
  • About 24 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shayah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4050

2013

Births in 2013

5

Latest year

Peak year

2013

5 births

Estimated living

24

2026

Meaning

What does Shayah mean?

The name Shayah is of Arabic origin and is believed to have emerged during the medieval period in the Middle East. It is derived from the Arabic word "sha'a," which means "to wish" or "to desire." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to express a wish or desire for the child.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shayah can be found in the 12th century writings of the renowned Arab philosopher and physician, Averroes (1126-1198). He mentioned a scholar named Shayah ibn Khalid al-Andalusi, who was known for his expertise in mathematics and astronomy.

In the 13th century, there was a famous Sufi mystic named Shayah al-Din al-Suhrawardi (1145-1234), who was born in Suhraward, Iran. He is considered one of the most influential figures in the development of Islamic mysticism and was known for his works on illuminationist philosophy.

During the 14th century, the name Shayah was associated with a prominent Arab poet and scholar, Shayah al-Din al-Jazari (1350-1429), who was born in present-day Syria. He is renowned for his contributions to the study of Arabic language and literature.

In the 16th century, there was a notable Persian scholar and poet named Shayah Beg (1494-1567), who served as a court poet and calligrapher under the Safavid dynasty in Iran.

Another significant figure in history who bore the name Shayah was Shayah al-Din al-Qalqashandi (1355-1418), an Egyptian scholar and historian who served as the chief secretary of the Mamluk Sultanate. His writings provide valuable insights into the administrative practices and cultural life of medieval Egypt.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who carried the name Shayah, reflecting its long-standing presence in various regions of the Middle East and its association with scholars, poets, and mystics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Shayah over time

The chart below shows babies named Shayah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Shayah, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2013, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Shayah
01345200620092013

Decades

Shayah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shayah 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 #5100 15 4
2000s #5273 9 3

Related

Names similar to Shayah

FAQ

Shayah: questions and answers

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

In 2013, Shayah was ranked #4050 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Shayah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2013, with 5 babies registered as Shayah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Shayah?

A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Arabic or Indian.

How many people are called Shayah in the UK?

A total of 24 babies have been registered as Shayah across the 7 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.