Lamiyah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "blameworthy" or "sinful".
Name Census estimates that about 870 living Americans carry the first name Lamiyah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lamiyah today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lamiyah births was 2012 (68 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lamiyah. 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
870
~ 1 in 393,971 Americans
Peak year
2012
68 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2024 SSA rank
#6,267
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Lamiyah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lamiyah from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 528 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lamiyah 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 Lamiyah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Lamiyahs live
The SSA's state-level files cover 12 states and territories. Ohio, Florida, California recorded the most babies named Lamiyah, while Virginia, Pennsylvania, Mississippi recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lamiyah
The name Lamiyah is of Arabic origin, derived from the word "lami" meaning "radiant" or "shining." It is believed to have emerged as a feminine name during the Middle Ages in the regions of the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant.
In Arabic literature, the name Lamiyah is mentioned in several works, including the famous poem "Lamiyat al-'Ajam" written by the renowned 10th-century Arab poet Al-Tughra'i. This poem, composed in praise of a woman named Lamiyah, has contributed to the popularization of the name.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Lamiyah dates back to the 12th century, when a Syrian noblewoman named Lamiyah bint al-Qadi was mentioned in historical records. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her influential role in the cultural life of Damascus during the Ayyubid period.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Lamiyah. Among them is Lamiyah Al-Amri (1779-1825), a renowned Arabian poet and calligrapher from Mecca, who was celebrated for her mastery of the Arabic language and her contributions to the literary scene of her time.
Another prominent figure was Lamiyah Al-Sayyid (1889-1976), an Egyptian feminist and activist who played a crucial role in the women's rights movement in Egypt during the early 20th century. She advocated for women's education and fought against discriminatory laws and societal norms.
In the realm of music, Lamiyah Al-Khateeb (1923-2005) was a renowned Syrian singer and actress, widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in the Arab world. Her powerful vocals and captivating stage presence made her a cultural icon, and she was celebrated for her contributions to preserving and promoting traditional Arabic music.
Lamiyah Basmadji (1910-1990) was a prominent Lebanese sculptor and painter, known for her works that blended traditional elements with modern techniques. Her sculptures and paintings are celebrated for their unique style and their exploration of cultural identity and heritage.
Finally, Lamiyah Al-Qaddumi (1932-2021) was a Palestinian writer and academic, renowned for her contributions to Arabic literature and her advocacy for Palestinian rights. Her novels and essays explored themes of identity, displacement, and the struggle for self-determination, earning her widespread recognition and numerous literary awards.
People
Lamiyah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lamiyah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lamiyah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lamiyah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 870 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lamiyah 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 393,971 US residents.
Is Lamiyah a common name?
We classify Lamiyah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 878 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lamiyah most popular?
The single biggest year for Lamiyah was 2012, when 68 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lamiyah is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Lamiyah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lamiyah 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.