Asiya
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "protected" or "obedient".
Name Census estimates that about 2,408 living Americans carry the first name Asiya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Asiya today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Asiya births was 2024 (168 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Asiya. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Asiya is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 12 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.4K
~ 1 in 142,340 Americans
Peak year
2024
168 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,350
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Asiya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Asiya from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 1,114 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Asiya remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Asiya by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Asiya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Asiyas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. Minnesota, California, New York recorded the most babies named Asiya, while Kentucky, Massachusetts, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 78 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Asiya
The name Asiya has its origins in Arabic, stemming from the root word 'Asy' which means 'defiant' or 'disobedient'. It is believed to have emerged during the 7th century, around the time of the birth of Islam and the compilation of the Quran.
In Islamic tradition, Asiya was the name of the wife of the Pharaoh who ruled during the time of Prophet Moses. She is revered as a pious woman who defied her husband's cruelty and embraced the monotheistic faith of Moses. Her story is recounted in the Quran, where she is praised for her unwavering belief and steadfastness in the face of persecution.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Asiya can be traced back to the 7th century, when it was likely used by Arab families inspired by the Quranic narrative. Throughout history, the name has been borne by several notable figures, including:
1. Asiya Begum (1701-1761), the wife of Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah and a prominent figure in the royal court of Delhi.
2. Asiya Khannum (1905-1985), an Uzbek Soviet writer and poet who made significant contributions to Uzbek literature.
3. Asiya Andrabi (born 1959), a Kashmiri separatist leader and founder of the Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughters of the Nation) organization.
4. Asiya Siddiqi (1944-2019), a Pakistani academic and writer known for her works on Islamic feminism and women's rights.
5. Asiya Lari (born 1975), a renowned Pakistani painter and artist whose works explore themes of identity, culture, and women's empowerment.
While the name Asiya has its roots in the Arabic language and Islamic tradition, it has transcended cultural boundaries and gained popularity in various parts of the world. The name's association with strength, resilience, and faith has resonated with many families, contributing to its enduring appeal across generations.
People
Asiya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Asiya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Asiya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Asiya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,408 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Asiya going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 142,340 US residents.
Is Asiya a common name?
We classify Asiya as "Rare". It ranks above 94.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,431 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Asiya most popular?
The single biggest year for Asiya was 2024, when 168 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Asiya is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Asiya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Asiya in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.