Safia
Pure, purified, from the Arabic root meaning purity and chastity.
Name Census estimates that about 1,516 living Americans carry the first name Safia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Safia today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Safia births was 2023 (65 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Safia. 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.
Key insights
- • Safia is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 18 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.5K
~ 1 in 226,091 Americans
Peak year
2023
65 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,066
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Safia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Safia from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 551 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Safia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Safia 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 Safia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Safias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 13 states and territories. New York, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Safia, while New Jersey, North Carolina, Michigan recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 37 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Safia
The name Safia is of Arabic origin, derived from the root word "safa," which means "purity" or "clarity." It has been a popular name in the Arabic-speaking world for centuries, dating back to the early days of Islam.
The earliest recorded use of the name Safia can be traced back to the 7th century, when it was borne by Safia bint Abdul Muttalib, a paternal aunt of the Prophet Muhammad. She was known for her unwavering faith and devotion to Islam, and her name became a symbol of purity and righteousness.
Throughout Islamic history, the name Safia has been associated with noble and virtuous women. In the 8th century, Safia al-Baghdadiya was a renowned poet and scholar who made significant contributions to Arabic literature. Her works were widely celebrated for their depth and elegance, and she was revered as a champion of female education and empowerment.
Moving forward to the 12th century, Safia al-Mardini was a prominent Sufi mystic and spiritual leader from Damascus. She was known for her profound wisdom and her ability to inspire and guide others on their spiritual journeys. Her teachings and writings continue to influence Sufi traditions to this day.
In more recent times, Safia Akhtar (1914-1998) was a pioneering Pakistani educationist and women's rights activist. She played a pivotal role in establishing educational institutions for girls in Pakistan and worked tirelessly to promote gender equality and female empowerment.
Another notable figure was Safia Alhabshi (1930-2018), an influential Kenyan-born activist and politician who fought for the rights of the Arab minority in Kenya. She was a respected leader and a powerful voice for social justice and equality.
These are just a few examples of the many remarkable women throughout history who have borne the name Safia. The name continues to hold a special significance in the Islamic world and beyond, symbolizing purity, grace, and strength of character.
People
Safia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Safia 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
Safia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Safia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,516 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Safia 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 226,091 US residents.
Is Safia a common name?
We classify Safia as "Rare". It ranks above 92.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,541 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Safia most popular?
The single biggest year for Safia was 2023, when 65 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Safia is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Safia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Safia 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.