UK girl's name
Zulaika
A feminine Arabic name meaning "brilliant and beautiful hair".
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.
Zulaika is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Zulaika 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 2010, with 5 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2001 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Zulaika. 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
- • Zulaika ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 5 girls were registered as Zulaika.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Zulaika 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
2010
5 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Meaning
What does Zulaika mean?
Zulaika is a feminine given name with origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic name Zulaikha, which has its roots in the Persian name Zulaykha. The name Zulaykha is mentioned in the Qur'an and is associated with the Biblical figure of Potiphar's wife, who tried to seduce Joseph.
The name Zulaika likely emerged in the Middle East during the early centuries of Islam's spread across the region. It gained popularity among Arabic-speaking communities and subsequently spread to other parts of the world through cultural exchange and migration.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zulaika can be found in the works of medieval Arabic literature. The 11th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, in his epic poem "Khosrow and Shirin," mentions a character named Zulaika who was renowned for her beauty and grace.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Zulaika. One such figure was Zulaika Jerrahi (1894-1984), a Turkish Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher who played a significant role in the spread of the Jerrahi Sufi order in the United States.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Zulaika Saidova (1912-2002), a Soviet actress and film director from Uzbekistan. She was best known for her roles in Uzbek classic films and her contributions to the development of Uzbek cinema.
In the realm of literature, Zulaika Ghumri (1910-1967) was a renowned Afghan poet and writer. Her poetry often explored themes of love, freedom, and the struggles of women in traditional Afghan society.
The name Zulaika also gained recognition in the world of music. Zulaika Araujo (1919-2013) was a prominent Brazilian singer and actress who specialized in samba and bossa nova genres. She was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Brazilian popular music.
Another notable figure was Zulaika Ali (1878-1950), an Indian poet and activist who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. She was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and actively participated in civil disobedience campaigns against British rule.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Zulaika over time
The chart below shows babies named Zulaika registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 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 Zulaika, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Zulaika by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Zulaika 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 | #4899 | 8 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4398 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Zulaika
- 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
Zulaika: questions and answers
How popular is the name Zulaika in the UK right now?
In 2020, Zulaika was ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Zulaika most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 5 babies registered as Zulaika in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Zulaika?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "brilliant and beautiful hair".
How many people are called Zulaika in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Zulaika across the 5 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.