UK girl's name
Sheikha
An Arabic feminine name meaning a leader or ruler of prominence.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sheikha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sheikha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4709, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 5 births.
This profile covers 46 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1999 to 2023. 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 46 living people in the UK are called Sheikha. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sheikha ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 5 girls were registered as Sheikha.
- • About 46 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sheikha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4709
2023
Births in 2023
4
Latest year
Peak year
2011
5 births
Estimated living
46
2026
Meaning
What does Sheikha mean?
The name Sheikha is of Arabic origin and has its roots in the Islamic culture. It is a feminine form of the word "sheikh," which means an elder, leader, or chief of a tribe or community.
Sheikha has been in use for centuries, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the medieval Islamic era. The name holds a significant place in Islamic history and is often associated with women of noble or influential status within the Arabic-speaking world.
One of the earliest known references to the name Sheikha can be found in historical texts and manuscripts that documented the lives of prominent women in Islamic societies. For example, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, who lived in the 17th century, was a renowned scholar and poet from the United Arab Emirates.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Sheikha. One of the most famous was Sheikha Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Qasimi, who lived from 1900 to 1976 and was a prominent figure in the cultural and educational development of the United Arab Emirates.
Another notable figure was Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, born in 1959, who served as the United Arab Emirates' first female minister and held various influential positions in the government, including Minister of Economy and Minister of Foreign Trade.
In the field of literature, Sheikha Fatima Al Sabah, born in 1938, was a renowned Kuwaiti writer and poet known for her contributions to modern Arabic literature.
Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, born in 1980, is a prominent figure in the United Arab Emirates, serving as the President of the Dubai Women's Establishment and the Chairperson of the Dubai Club for People of Determination.
It is important to note that while the name Sheikha is predominantly associated with Arabic-speaking cultures, it has also been adopted and used in other regions with significant Islamic influence.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sheikha over time
The chart below shows babies named Sheikha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sheikha, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sheikha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sheikha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5101 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4895 | 16 | 4 |
| 2000s | #4060 | 19 | 5 |
| 1990s | #3225 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Sheikha
- 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
Sheikha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sheikha in the UK right now?
In 2023, Sheikha was ranked #4709 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Sheikha most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 5 babies registered as Sheikha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sheikha?
An Arabic feminine name meaning a leader or ruler of prominence.
How many people are called Sheikha in the UK?
A total of 46 babies have been registered as Sheikha across the 12 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.