UK girl's name
Zakiyah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "pure" or "chaste".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Zakiyah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Zakiyah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4645, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 17 births.
This profile covers 208 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1997 to 2022. 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 24% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 207 living people in the UK are called Zakiyah. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Zakiyah ranked #4645 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 17 girls were registered as Zakiyah.
- • About 207 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zakiyah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4645
2022
Births in 2022
4
Latest year
Peak year
2004
17 births
Estimated living
207
2026
Meaning
What does Zakiyah mean?
The name Zakiyah originates from the Arabic language and is derived from the root word "zaky," which means pure, virtuous, or righteous. It is a feminine name that carries deep spiritual and moral connotations within the Islamic tradition.
The earliest recorded use of the name Zakiyah can be traced back to the 7th century CE, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the early Islamic era. It is believed to have been inspired by the Quranic verse (33:35) which describes the qualities of righteous individuals, both men and women, as "zakiyin" (plural of zakiyah).
In Islamic history, one of the most notable figures with the name Zakiyah was Zakiyah bint Amir al-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib, who lived in the 7th century CE. She was the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of Islam and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, and Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet.
Another prominent historical figure with the name Zakiyah was Zakiyah al-Baghdadiyah, a renowned female scholar of hadith (prophetic traditions) who lived in Baghdad during the 9th century CE. She was known for her extensive knowledge and her contributions to the preservation and transmission of Islamic teachings.
In the 12th century CE, Zakiyah bint Ibrahim al-Naysaburi was a prominent female scholar and poet from Nishapur, Iran. She was renowned for her expertise in various fields, including literature, theology, and jurisprudence.
During the 14th century CE, Zakiyah bint Ahmad al-Ansari was a prominent Sufi mystic and scholar from Yemen. She was known for her spiritual teachings and her contributions to the development of Sufism in the region.
Another historical figure with the name Zakiyah was Zakiyah al-Kubra, a 16th century Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Selim I. She played an important role in the cultural and intellectual life of the Ottoman Empire during her time.
The name Zakiyah continues to be popular among Muslim communities around the world, carrying the symbolic meaning of purity, righteousness, and virtue, reflecting the rich cultural and religious heritage from which it originated.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Zakiyah over time
The chart below shows babies named Zakiyah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Zakiyah, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2022, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zakiyah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zakiyah 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 | #4590 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4075 | 57 | 9 |
| 2000s | #1870 | 116 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1868 | 27 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Zakiyah
- Zoe 23,808
- Zara 19,377
- Zainab 9,407
- Zahra 8,438
- Zoya 4,523
- Zuzanna 4,231
- Zaynab 3,722
- Zofia 2,773
- Zaynah 1,472
- Zaina 1,376
- Zoey 1,262
- Zarah 1,167
FAQ
Zakiyah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zakiyah in the UK right now?
In 2022, Zakiyah was ranked #4645 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Zakiyah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 17 babies registered as Zakiyah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zakiyah?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "pure" or "chaste".
How many people are called Zakiyah in the UK?
A total of 208 babies have been registered as Zakiyah across the 24 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.