UK girl's name
Sumaya
Of Arabic origin, meaning "highly praised" or "elevated one".
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.
Sumaya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sumaya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1160, with 29 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 113 births.
This profile covers 1,722 England and Wales registrations across 29 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 26% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,720 living people in the UK are called Sumaya. 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
- • Sumaya ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 29 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 113 girls were registered as Sumaya.
- • Sumaya ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #802 in 2010.
- • About 1,720 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sumaya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1160
2024
Births in 2024
29
Latest year
Peak year
2008
113 births
Estimated living
1,720
2026
Meaning
What does Sumaya mean?
The name Sumaya is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "sama" meaning "elevated" or "high." It first appeared in the Middle Eastern region during the medieval Islamic era, around the 7th century AD.
The name Sumaya holds significant historical importance in Islamic tradition. It was the name of Sumaya bint Khayyat, a revered figure who lived in Mecca during the time of Prophet Muhammad. She was one of the earliest converts to Islam and endured persecution and torture for her faith, ultimately becoming known as the first martyr in Islamic history.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sumaya dates back to the 7th century AD, associated with Sumaya bint Khayyat herself. Since then, the name has been widely used among Muslim communities, particularly in the Arab world and regions with strong cultural ties to the Middle East.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Sumaya. One example is Sumaya al-Muhaydali (1924-2014), a renowned Palestinian poet and activist who played a significant role in advocating for Palestinian rights and cultural preservation.
Another prominent figure is Sumaya Farhat-Naser (born 1929), a Palestinian diplomat and the first woman to serve as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador from an Arab country. She dedicated her life to promoting peace, human rights, and gender equality.
In the realm of literature, Sumaya Rayes (born 1947) is a celebrated Lebanese author and poet known for her works exploring themes of identity, displacement, and the experiences of women in the Arab world.
Sumaya al-Khashab (1941-2011) was an influential Saudi Arabian academic and writer who pioneered women's education and advocated for women's rights in Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, Sumaya Samaha (born 1996) is a contemporary Syrian-American actress and activist who has used her platform to raise awareness about the ongoing conflict in Syria and the plight of refugees.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Sumaya, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and social narratives associated with this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sumaya over time
The chart below shows babies named Sumaya 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 Sumaya, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 29 births in 2024, compared with 113 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sumaya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sumaya 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 | #993 | 177 | 5 |
| 2010s | #637 | 663 | 10 |
| 2000s | #463 | 813 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1155 | 69 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sumaya is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sumaya. 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.
Sumaya ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #802 in 2010.
Across the UK
Sumaya in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#802 in 2010
2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered
Related
Names similar to Sumaya
- 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
Sumaya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sumaya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sumaya was ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales, with 29 births registered.
When was Sumaya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 113 babies registered as Sumaya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sumaya?
Of Arabic origin, meaning "highly praised" or "elevated one".
How many people are called Sumaya in the UK?
A total of 1,722 babies have been registered as Sumaya across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland.
Where is Sumaya most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sumaya ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #802 in 2010. 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.