Rakiya
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "a shooter, archer, or huntress".
Name Census estimates that about 421 living Americans carry the first name Rakiya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Rakiya today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Rakiya births was 2008 (32 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Rakiya. 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
421
~ 1 in 814,143 Americans
Peak year
2008
32 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,837
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Rakiya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Rakiya from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 206 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rakiya 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 Rakiya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Rakiyas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Rakiya
The name Rakiya finds its origins in the Arabic language, emerging from the Middle Eastern region during the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic root word "raqa," which means "to rise" or "to ascend." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Rakiya may have been associated with concepts of elevation, growth, or spiritual ascension.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Rakiya can be found in ancient Islamic texts and manuscripts dating back to the 7th century CE. It is believed to have been inspired by the Arabic word "al-raqia," which refers to the celestial vault or firmament in Islamic cosmology. This celestial connotation adds a layer of significance to the name, linking it to the heavens and the divine realm.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Rakiya. One of the earliest recorded examples is Rakiya bint Abi Sufyan (born circa 630 CE), a prominent female figure in early Islamic history who was known for her wisdom and knowledge. Another prominent figure was Rakiya al-Andalusiyya (1031-1094 CE), a renowned Andalusian poet and scholar who contributed significantly to the literary and intellectual landscape of medieval Islamic Spain.
In the realm of religion, Rakiya al-Ghamrawi (1201-1263 CE) was a revered Sufi mystic and spiritual leader from Egypt who left a lasting impact on the Sufi tradition. Her teachings and writings continue to be studied and revered by Sufis to this day.
Moving forward in time, Rakiya Sultana (1528-1604 CE) was a powerful and influential figure in the Mughal Empire of India. She was the wife of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and played a crucial role in the administration and governance of the empire.
More recently, Rakiya Omaar (born 1959) is a renowned Somali-British human rights activist and journalist who has made significant contributions to raising awareness about humanitarian crises and advocating for human rights, particularly in the context of the Somali civil war.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have carried the name Rakiya throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human civilization.
People
Rakiya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Rakiya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Rakiya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Rakiya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 421 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Rakiya 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 814,143 US residents.
Is Rakiya a common name?
We classify Rakiya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 428 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Rakiya most popular?
The single biggest year for Rakiya was 2008, when 32 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Rakiya is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Rakiya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Rakiya 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.