UK girl's name
Sumaiyah
An Arabic feminine name meaning "modest" or "satisfied".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sumaiyah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sumaiyah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2253, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 43 births.
This profile covers 655 England and Wales registrations across 28 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 28% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 657 living people in the UK are called Sumaiyah. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sumaiyah ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 43 girls were registered as Sumaiyah.
- • Sumaiyah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
- • About 657 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sumaiyah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2253
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2013
43 births
Estimated living
657
2026
Meaning
What does Sumaiyah mean?
The name Sumaiyah originates from the Arabic language and has a rich cultural and historical significance. It is derived from the Arabic word "sumayya," which means "high-ranking" or "elevated." The name is rooted in the pre-Islamic era of the Arabian Peninsula.
Sumaiyah gained prominence in early Islamic history as it was the name of Sumayya bint Khabbat, a woman revered as one of the earliest believers in Islam and the first martyr in the faith. She endured severe persecution and torture for her beliefs at the hands of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca but remained steadfast in her faith until her death around 615 CE.
The name Sumaiyah is mentioned in various Islamic texts, including the Qur'an and Hadith, which are the primary sources of Islamic teachings and the biographical accounts of the Prophet Muhammad's life. Her story serves as an inspiration for resilience and unwavering faith in the face of adversity.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sumaiyah can be found in the historical accounts of the early Muslim community in Mecca. Sumayya bint Khabbat, the aforementioned first martyr of Islam, was born in Mecca around 550 CE and embraced the new faith preached by Prophet Muhammad.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Sumaiyah. Here are five examples:
1. Sumaiyah al-Muhtadiyah (born around 612 CE), one of the earliest female converts to Islam and a companion of Prophet Muhammad. 2. Sumaiyah bint Husayn (born in 636 CE), a descendant of Prophet Muhammad and a renowned scholar of Hadith. 3. Sumaiyah al-Malikah (born in 1212 CE), a prominent Muslim scholar and poet from Seville, Spain, during the Almohad Caliphate. 4. Sumaiyah al-Yazdiyah (born around 1550 CE), a renowned Sufi mystic and poet from Yazd, Persia (present-day Iran). 5. Sumaiyah Toukan (born in 1925), a Palestinian writer and activist known for her contributions to Palestinian literature and advocacy for women's rights.
The name Sumaiyah has been carried across generations and cultures, serving as a testament to the rich heritage and significance it holds within the Islamic tradition and Arabic-speaking communities.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sumaiyah over time
The chart below shows babies named Sumaiyah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sumaiyah, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 43 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sumaiyah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sumaiyah 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 | #2516 | 45 | 4 |
| 2010s | #1452 | 239 | 10 |
| 2000s | #928 | 289 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1027 | 82 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sumaiyah is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sumaiyah. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Sumaiyah ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #793 in 2008.
Across the UK
Sumaiyah in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#793 in 2008
2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered
Related
Names similar to Sumaiyah
- 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
Sumaiyah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sumaiyah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sumaiyah was ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Sumaiyah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 43 babies registered as Sumaiyah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sumaiyah?
An Arabic feminine name meaning "modest" or "satisfied".
How many people are called Sumaiyah in the UK?
A total of 655 babies have been registered as Sumaiyah across the 28 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.
Where is Sumaiyah most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sumaiyah ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #793 in 2008. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.