NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Sumeya

A feminine Arabic name meaning "little, precious one".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Sumeya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sumeya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3151, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 19 births.

This profile covers 180 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1998 to 2019. 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 37% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 179 living people in the UK are called Sumeya. 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 2020 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Sumeya ranked #3151 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2007, when 19 girls were registered as Sumeya.
  • About 179 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sumeya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3151

2019

Births in 2019

7

Latest year

Peak year

2007

19 births

Estimated living

179

2026

Meaning

What does Sumeya mean?

The name Sumeya has its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the word "suma'a," which means "high status" or "elevated." The name likely emerged in the Middle East during the Islamic Golden Age, a period of significant cultural, economic, and scientific advancement in the Muslim world spanning from the 8th to the 13th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Sumeya can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab philosopher and polymath, Al-Kindi, who lived in the 9th century. He mentioned a woman named Sumeya in one of his works, suggesting that the name was in use during that time.

In the 10th century, a prominent female scholar and poet named Sumeya bint al-Husayn al-Sulamiyya was celebrated for her contributions to Arabic literature. She was born in Basra, Iraq, and her poetry was widely admired for its depth and eloquence.

During the 11th century, Sumeya al-Muradiyya, a Sufi mystic and spiritual leader, gained recognition for her teachings and guidance in the path of Sufism. She was instrumental in spreading the Sufi tradition in various regions of the Middle East.

In the 12th century, a notable historian named Sumeya bint Ahmad al-Qurtubi documented the events and cultural developments of her time, providing valuable insights into the history of the Islamic world during that era.

Another notable figure with the name Sumeya was Sumeya al-Maqdisiyya, a 13th-century scholar and calligrapher from Jerusalem. She was renowned for her expertise in Islamic jurisprudence and her beautiful calligraphic works, which were highly sought after by collectors and patrons of the arts.

These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Sumeya, reflecting its longstanding presence and significance within the Arabic-speaking world. The name's association with elevated status, scholarly pursuits, and artistic expression has endured throughout the centuries, making it a timeless and revered choice for many families.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Sumeya over time

The chart below shows babies named Sumeya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Sumeya, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2019, compared with 19 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Sumeya
05101419199820082019

Decades

Sumeya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sumeya 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 #3968 63 10
2000s #2169 104 10
1990s #2524 13 2

Related

Names similar to Sumeya

FAQ

Sumeya: questions and answers

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

In 2019, Sumeya was ranked #3151 for girls in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Sumeya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2007, with 19 babies registered as Sumeya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Sumeya?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "little, precious one".

How many people are called Sumeya in the UK?

A total of 180 babies have been registered as Sumeya across the 22 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.