UK girl's name
Umayah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "little female gazelle".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Umayah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Umayah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5493, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 7 births.
This profile covers 41 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2004 to 2020. 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 41 living people in the UK are called Umayah. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Umayah ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 7 girls were registered as Umayah.
- • About 41 living people in the UK are estimated to have Umayah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5493
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2018
7 births
Estimated living
41
2026
Meaning
What does Umayah mean?
The name Umayah is of Arabic origin and can be traced back to the early days of Islam. It is believed to be derived from the Arabic word "ummah," which means "community" or "nation." The name is closely associated with the Umayyad Caliphate, one of the most powerful and influential dynasties in Islamic history.
The Umayyad Caliphate was established in 661 CE and ruled from Damascus until its downfall in 750 CE. During this period, the name Umayah gained prominence as it was borne by several members of the ruling family. One of the most notable figures was Muawiyah I, the founder of the Umayyad dynasty, who ruled from 661 to 680 CE.
Another prominent historical figure named Umayah was Umayyah ibn Khalaf, a member of the Quraysh tribe in Mecca during the 7th century. He was a staunch opponent of the Prophet Muhammad and played a significant role in the early conflicts between the Muslim community and the pagan tribes of Mecca.
In the realm of Islamic scholarship, Umayah ibn Abi al-Salt was a renowned jurist and theologian who lived in the 8th century CE. He was a prominent figure in the Maliki school of Islamic jurisprudence and made significant contributions to the development of Islamic legal thought.
During the medieval period, the name Umayah was also found among various Muslim dynasties and rulers. One notable example is Umayah ibn Abdallah, a governor of Andalusia (modern-day Spain) during the 9th century CE, who played a crucial role in the expansion of Islamic rule in the Iberian Peninsula.
In more recent history, Umayah al-Shaghouri was a Syrian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria from 1955 to 1956. He played a significant role in shaping Syria's foreign policy during a tumultuous period in the country's history.
While the name Umayah has its roots in the early days of Islam and was particularly prominent during the Umayyad Caliphate, it has since been used across various Muslim communities and cultures throughout history, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in various fields.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Umayah over time
The chart below shows babies named Umayah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Umayah, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Umayah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Umayah 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 | #5493 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5061 | 31 | 8 |
| 2000s | #4581 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Umayah
- Una 945
- Uma 592
- Umaiza 556
- Umaymah 540
- Umme 508
- Ursula 481
- Umaima 407
- Uzma 370
- Umaimah 333
- Umayyah 238
- Umamah 231
- Urwa 200
FAQ
Umayah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Umayah in the UK right now?
In 2020, Umayah was ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Umayah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 7 babies registered as Umayah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Umayah?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "little female gazelle".
How many people are called Umayah in the UK?
A total of 41 babies have been registered as Umayah across the 11 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.