Kadijah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "an early believer of Islam".
Name Census estimates that about 1,413 living Americans carry the first name Kadijah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kadijah today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kadijah births was 1994 (486 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kadijah. 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
1.4K
~ 1 in 242,572 Americans
Peak year
1994
486 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,841
Tracked since 1969
Popularity
Kadijah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kadijah from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 1,120 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kadijah 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 Kadijah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kadijahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 22 states and territories. North Carolina, New York, Georgia recorded the most babies named Kadijah, while Indiana, Arkansas, Maryland recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 40 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kadijah
The name Kadijah has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing its roots back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "qadara," which means "to be capable" or "to have power." The name carries connotations of strength, capability, and determination.
One of the earliest and most notable historical references to the name Kadijah is found in Islamic tradition. Kadijah was the name of the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad, who played a pivotal role in the early days of Islam. Born in 555 CE in Mecca, Kadijah bint Khuwaylid was a successful businesswoman and respected member of her community. Her marriage to Muhammad in 595 CE was significant, as she became the first person to embrace the Islamic faith and provided unwavering support to her husband during the early years of his prophethood.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Kadijah. One such figure was Kadijah Sidek (1905-1977), a prominent Malaysian author and activist who fought for women's rights and social reform in her country. Her works, including novels and short stories, explored themes of gender equality and challenged traditional societal norms.
Another noteworthy Kadijah was Kadijah Sesay (1935-2009), a Sierra Leonean writer and activist who played a crucial role in promoting literacy and education for women in her country. She founded the Women's Movement for Peace and advocated for girls' access to education, empowering countless individuals through her efforts.
In the realm of literature, Kadijah Rashid (1908-1939) was a pioneering Sudanese poet and writer. Her poetry collection, "The Flame and the Ashes," published in 1934, was one of the first works of modern Arabic literature written by a woman. Her writing explored themes of love, loss, and the challenges faced by women in a patriarchal society.
Kadijah Sessums (1892-1977), an African American educator and civil rights activist, also left a lasting impact on history. She dedicated her life to advocating for equal educational opportunities for Black children and served as the executive secretary of the NAACP's Washington Bureau, playing a crucial role in the fight for desegregation and racial equality.
These are just a few examples of the notable individuals who have borne the name Kadijah throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human experience.
People
Kadijah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kadijah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kadijah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kadijah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,413 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kadijah 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 242,572 US residents.
Is Kadijah a common name?
We classify Kadijah as "Rare". It ranks above 92.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,458 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kadijah most popular?
The single biggest year for Kadijah was 1994, when 486 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kadijah is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kadijah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kadijah 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.