UK girl's name
Zaniyah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beautiful" or "blooming".
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.
Zaniyah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Zaniyah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1819, with 16 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 31 births.
This profile covers 153 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2014 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 52% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 152 living people in the UK are called Zaniyah. 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
- • Zaniyah ranked #1819 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 16 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 31 girls were registered as Zaniyah.
- • About 152 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zaniyah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1819
2024
Births in 2024
16
Latest year
Peak year
2022
31 births
Estimated living
152
2026
Meaning
What does Zaniyah mean?
The name Zaniyah is of Arabic origin and is derived from the word "Zinah," which means "ornament" or "adornment." It is a feminine name that has been in use for centuries in the Middle East and North Africa.
The earliest recorded use of the name Zaniyah can be traced back to the 7th century AD, during the Islamic Golden Age. At this time, the name was often given to girls born into wealthy or influential families, as it was seen as a symbol of beauty and elegance.
One of the earliest notable figures with the name Zaniyah was a scholar and poet who lived in Baghdad during the 9th century. She was renowned for her knowledge of literature and philosophy, and her works were widely read and studied throughout the Islamic world.
In the 13th century, there was a famous Sufi mystic named Zaniyah al-Baghdadiyah, who was known for her spiritual teachings and her devotion to the path of love and service. Her writings and teachings had a profound impact on the Sufi tradition and continue to be studied and revered by many today.
Another notable figure with the name Zaniyah was a 16th-century poet and calligrapher from Persia. Her beautiful calligraphic works were highly prized and sought after by collectors and connoisseurs of the arts.
During the Ottoman Empire, there was a princess named Zaniyah Sultan, who was the daughter of Sultan Murad III. She was known for her intelligence and her love of learning, and played an important role in the cultural and intellectual life of the Ottoman court.
While the name Zaniyah has its roots in the Arab world, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and communities around the world. In recent centuries, there have been notable figures with the name in countries such as India, Pakistan, and even in parts of the Caribbean.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Zaniyah over time
The chart below shows babies named Zaniyah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 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 Zaniyah, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 16 births in 2024, compared with 31 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zaniyah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zaniyah 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 | #1643 | 110 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3694 | 43 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Zaniyah
- 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
Zaniyah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zaniyah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Zaniyah was ranked #1819 for girls in England and Wales, with 16 births registered.
When was Zaniyah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 31 babies registered as Zaniyah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zaniyah?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "beautiful" or "blooming".
How many people are called Zaniyah in the UK?
A total of 153 babies have been registered as Zaniyah 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.