Sakiyah
Of Arabic origin, meaning "well" or "water fountain".
Name Census estimates that about 215 living Americans carry the first name Sakiyah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sakiyah today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sakiyah births was 2007 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sakiyah. 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
215
~ 1 in 1,594,206 Americans
Peak year
2007
21 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,181
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Sakiyah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sakiyah from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 105 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Sakiyah remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sakiyah 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 Sakiyah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sakiyahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Sakiyah
The name Sakiyah is believed to have originated from the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "saqiya," which means "water bearer" or "one who provides water." This suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations related to water management or distribution in ancient Arabic societies.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Sakiyah can be found in the writings of medieval Arab scholars and historians. It is mentioned in texts describing the intricate irrigation systems and water management practices employed in various regions of the Middle East during that period.
In the 9th century, a notable figure named Sakiyah ibn al-Qasim was a renowned mathematician and astronomer from Baghdad. His contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the development of algebraic equations, were significant during the Islamic Golden Age.
In the 12th century, Sakiyah al-Andalusi was a distinguished poet and scholar from Al-Andalus (modern-day Spain and Portugal). Her literary works, which celebrated the beauty of nature and explored philosophical themes, gained recognition among her contemporaries.
During the 14th century, a Sufi mystic known as Sakiyah al-Dimashqi lived in Damascus, Syria. She was revered for her spiritual teachings and her dedication to the Sufi path, attracting many followers and disciples.
In the 16th century, Sakiyah al-Mamluki was a skilled calligrapher and artist from the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt. Her intricate calligraphic works adorned numerous manuscripts and architectural structures, showcasing the artistic excellence of the Mamluk era.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Sakiyah. The name's association with water and its presence in various regions of the Middle East and North Africa over the centuries suggest its enduring cultural significance and connection to the rich history of the Arabic-speaking world.
People
Sakiyah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sakiyah 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
Sakiyah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sakiyah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 215 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sakiyah 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 1,594,206 US residents.
Is Sakiyah a common name?
We classify Sakiyah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 217 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sakiyah most popular?
The single biggest year for Sakiyah was 2007, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sakiyah is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Sakiyah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sakiyah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sakiyah 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.
Is Sakiyah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sakiyah in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Sakiyah can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Sakiyah?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.