Fatimah
A feminine Arabic name meaning "the one who abstains" or "the weaner".
Name Census estimates that about 3,505 living Americans carry the first name Fatimah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Fatimah today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fatimah births was 2020 (129 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fatimah. 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.
People living today
3.5K
~ 1 in 97,790 Americans
Peak year
2020
129 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,305
Tracked since 1959
Popularity
Fatimah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fatimah from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 1,019 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Fatimah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fatimah 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 Fatimah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Fatimahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. New York, California, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Fatimah, while Colorado, South Carolina, Minnesota recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 105 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Fatimah
The name Fatimah is derived from the Arabic word "fatama," which means "to be weaned." The name has been in use since the 7th century CE and originates from the Arabic culture and language.
Fatimah is a highly revered name in Islam, as it was the name of the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad. She was born in Mecca around 615 CE and was known for her piety, intelligence, and generosity. Fatimah is considered to be one of the most important figures in Islamic history and is regarded as a role model for Muslim women.
The name Fatimah first appeared in religious texts, such as the Quran and Hadith, which are the primary sources of Islamic teachings. In these texts, Fatimah is described as a virtuous and righteous woman who played a significant role in the early days of Islam.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Fatimah can be found in the writings of Islamic scholars and historians from the 7th and 8th centuries CE. These writings provide detailed accounts of Fatimah's life and her contributions to the Islamic faith.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Fatimah. One of the most famous was Fatimah al-Zahra (615-632 CE), the daughter of Prophet Muhammad and wife of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of Islam. She is revered as a symbol of purity and righteousness in Islamic tradition.
Another notable Fatimah was Fatimah al-Batoul (605-632 CE), the sister of Ali ibn Abi Talib and a prominent figure in early Islamic history. She was known for her devotion to Islam and her support of her brother's cause.
Fatimah bint Muhammad al-Arabi (1165-1240 CE) was a renowned Sufi mystic and poet from Spain. Her writings, which focused on spiritual enlightenment and the love of God, were influential in the development of Sufi literature.
Fatimah Jinnah (1893-1967) was a Pakistani politician and diplomat who played a crucial role in the independence movement of Pakistan. She was known as the "Mother of the Nation" and was a strong advocate for women's rights and education.
Fatimah Mernissi (1940-2015) was a Moroccan feminist writer and sociologist who wrote extensively on the role of women in Islamic societies. Her works, such as "Beyond the Veil" and "The Forgotten Queens of Islam," challenged traditional interpretations of Islam and advocated for greater gender equality.
People
Fatimah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fatimah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Fatimah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fatimah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3,505 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fatimah 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 97,790 US residents.
Is Fatimah a common name?
We classify Fatimah as "Rare". It ranks above 95.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 3,608 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fatimah most popular?
The single biggest year for Fatimah was 2020, when 129 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fatimah is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fatimah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fatimah 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.