NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Surayah

An Arabic feminine name meaning "female leader" or "princess".

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.

Surayah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Surayah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 5 births.

This profile covers 34 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 34 living people in the UK are called Surayah. 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

  • Surayah ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 5 girls were registered as Surayah.
  • About 34 living people in the UK are estimated to have Surayah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4192

2024

Births in 2024

5

Latest year

Peak year

2011

5 births

Estimated living

34

2026

Meaning

What does Surayah mean?

The name Surayah has its origins in the Arabic language, derived from the word "sur" meaning "wall" or "fortress," and "yah" being a reference to the name of God. It is believed to have emerged during the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th centuries, a period marked by significant cultural, economic, and scientific advancements in the Arab world.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Surayah can be found in the writings of the renowned Arab poet and philosopher, Al-Mutanabbi, who lived from 915 to 965 CE. In his poetic works, he referred to a woman named Surayah, suggesting the name's use during that era.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Surayah. One such figure was Surayah al-Andalusiyah, a distinguished female poet and scholar who lived in Cordoba, Spain, during the 11th century. She was renowned for her contributions to the literary and intellectual circles of the time.

Another prominent figure was Surayah bint Al-Harith, a woman who lived in the 7th century and was one of the earliest female companions of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. She is mentioned in several historical accounts and was known for her devotion and support of the early Muslim community.

In the 13th century, Surayah al-Hamdaniyah, a renowned poet and calligrapher from Yemen, gained recognition for her exceptional literary skills and her mastery of the Arabic language. Her works were widely celebrated and have been preserved throughout the ages.

Surayah al-Baghdadiyah, born in 1145 CE, was a prominent scholar and philosopher from Baghdad, Iraq. She was known for her expertise in various fields, including mathematics, astronomy, and Islamic jurisprudence, and her contributions to the intellectual discourse of her time were highly regarded.

It is worth noting that while the name Surayah has its roots in the Arab and Islamic cultures, it has transcended geographical boundaries and has been adopted by various communities across the world, each attributing its own cultural significance and interpretations to the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Surayah over time

The chart below shows babies named Surayah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 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 Surayah, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Surayah
01345200420142024

Decades

Surayah by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Surayah 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 #5118 11 3
2010s #4913 16 4
2000s #4641 7 2

Related

Names similar to Surayah

FAQ

Surayah: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Surayah was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Surayah most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 5 babies registered as Surayah in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Surayah?

An Arabic feminine name meaning "female leader" or "princess".

How many people are called Surayah in the UK?

A total of 34 babies have been registered as Surayah across the 9 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.