NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Tahiya

An Arabic given name meaning "greeting" or "salutation".

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.

Tahiya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Tahiya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 18 births.

This profile covers 169 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1997 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 17% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 168 living people in the UK are called Tahiya. 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

  • Tahiya ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2009, when 18 girls were registered as Tahiya.
  • About 168 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tahiya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5687

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

2009

18 births

Estimated living

168

2026

Meaning

What does Tahiya mean?

The name Tahiya has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "tahiyyah," which means "greeting" or "salutation." The name can also be spelled as Tahiya or Tahiyya.

In Islamic tradition, the word "tahiyyah" is used to refer to the greeting of peace, "As-salamu alaikum" (Peace be upon you). This greeting is an important part of Islamic etiquette and is used when meeting others or entering a gathering. The name Tahiya may have been given to girls as a symbolic representation of this peaceful greeting.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tahiya can be found in historical records from the 7th century CE, during the early years of Islam. At that time, the name was used by some women in the Arabian Peninsula and neighboring regions.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Tahiya. One example is Tahiya bint al-Mutanabbi, who lived in the 10th century CE. She was the daughter of the renowned Arab poet al-Mutanabbi and was known for her own literary talents.

Another historical figure with the name Tahiya was Tahiya al-Nabulsi, a 17th-century Arab poet and scholar from Palestine. She was renowned for her contributions to Arabic literature and her expertise in various fields, including poetry, grammar, and Islamic law.

In the 19th century, Tahiya Khanum was a prominent figure in the Ottoman Empire. She was a member of the imperial harem and played a significant role in the education and development of women during that time.

Tahiya Carioca was a 20th-century Egyptian dancer and actress, born in 1915. She was a pioneering figure in the world of Arabic dance and is considered one of the most influential dancers of her time.

More recently, Tahiya Petrosian was an Armenian chess player who lived from 1959 to 2017. She was a Woman Grandmaster and won numerous prestigious chess tournaments throughout her career.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Tahiya throughout history, highlighting its rich cultural heritage and diverse representation across various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tahiya over time

The chart below shows babies named Tahiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Tahiya, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 18 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Tahiya
0591418199720102023

Decades

Tahiya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tahiya 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 #5111 7 2
2010s #3737 59 9
2000s #2222 88 9
1990s #2979 15 3

Related

Names similar to Tahiya

FAQ

Tahiya: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Tahiya was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Tahiya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2009, with 18 babies registered as Tahiya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tahiya?

An Arabic given name meaning "greeting" or "salutation".

How many people are called Tahiya in the UK?

A total of 169 babies have been registered as Tahiya across the 23 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.