Saadia
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "blissful" or "fortunate".
Name Census estimates that about 601 living Americans carry the first name Saadia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Saadia today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Saadia births was 1964 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Saadia. 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
601
~ 1 in 570,307 Americans
Peak year
1964
21 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,107
Tracked since 1954
Popularity
Saadia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Saadia from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 130 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
Saadia 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 Saadia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Saadias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Saadia
The name Saadia has its origins in the Arabic language and culture, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic root "sa'ada," which means "happiness" or "bliss." The name is believed to have gained popularity in the Middle East and North Africa during the Islamic Golden Age, roughly spanning the 8th to the 13th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Saadia can be found in the works of the renowned Jewish philosopher and scholar, Saadia Gaon (882-942 CE). Born in Egypt, he played a significant role in the development of Jewish thought and is considered one of the most influential figures in the Rabbinic tradition.
Another notable figure with the name Saadia was the 11th-century Iranian poet and philosopher, Saadia Shirazi (979-1050 CE). His works, particularly in the fields of philosophy and mathematics, left a lasting impact on the intellectual landscape of the time.
In the realm of literature, the name Saadia is associated with the 13th-century Egyptian-born Jewish poet and scholar, Saadia ben Maimon ibn Danan (1180-1240 CE). His poetic works were highly regarded and contributed to the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Moving forward in history, Saadia Razi (1615-1676 CE) was a renowned Persian physician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of medicine and the study of the human body.
More recently, Saadia Munavvar (1874-1949) was a prominent Indian poet and writer who played a crucial role in the literary and cultural renaissance of the Urdu language. Her works explored themes of love, spirituality, and social reform, leaving a lasting legacy in the literary world.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Saadia throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human knowledge and cultural heritage.
People
Saadia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Saadia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Saadia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Saadia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 601 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Saadia 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 570,307 US residents.
Is Saadia a common name?
We classify Saadia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 653 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Saadia most popular?
The single biggest year for Saadia was 1964, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Saadia is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Saadia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Saadia 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.