Shahidah
An Arabic feminine name meaning "one who bears witness or testifies".
Name Census estimates that about 212 living Americans carry the first name Shahidah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shahidah today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shahidah births was 1978 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shahidah. 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
212
~ 1 in 1,616,766 Americans
Peak year
1978
31 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2005 SSA rank
#18,695
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Shahidah: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shahidah from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 105 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shahidah 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 Shahidah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shahidahs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shahidah
The name Shahidah is a feminine name of Arabic origin, derived from the word "shahid," which means "witness" or "martyr" in Arabic. The name can be traced back to the early days of Islam, as it is often associated with the concept of martyrdom and bearing witness to one's faith.
The earliest recorded use of the name Shahidah can be found in ancient Arabic texts and historical records, particularly those related to the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. One notable example is Shahidah bint Abi Ubaydah, a woman who lived during the 7th century and was known for her piety and devotion to Islam.
Throughout history, the name Shahidah has been borne by several notable figures, including Shahidah Salim Al-Jarrah, a 15th-century Arab poet and scholar from Damascus, renowned for her contributions to the literary and intellectual circles of her time. Another prominent figure was Shahidah bint Al-Husayn, a 9th-century Muslim princess and scholar from Baghdad, who was highly respected for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her patronage of the arts and sciences.
In the realm of religious scholarship, one cannot overlook the legacy of Shahidah al-Muhaqqiq al-Hilli, a renowned 13th-century Shia scholar and jurist from present-day Iran. Her works on Islamic law and theology were widely influential and continue to be studied and referenced to this day.
Moving to more modern times, Shahidah Salim Boothen (1917-2001) was a prominent Somali writer, activist, and politician who played a significant role in the Somali independence movement and the promotion of women's rights in her country. Her literary works and advocacy efforts have left a lasting impact on Somali society and culture.
Another notable figure was Shahidah Ismail (1924-2005), a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician who dedicated her life to the struggle against racial segregation and the pursuit of equality and justice. Her unwavering commitment to non-violence and her tireless efforts in the African National Congress have earned her a place in the annals of South African history.
These are but a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Shahidah throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and intellectual heritage associated with this name.
People
Shahidah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shahidah 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
Shahidah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shahidah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 212 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shahidah 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 1,616,766 US residents.
Is Shahidah a common name?
We classify Shahidah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 227 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shahidah most popular?
The single biggest year for Shahidah was 1978, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shahidah is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shahidah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shahidah 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.