Zakia
A feminine Arabic name meaning "brilliant" or "radiant".
Name Census estimates that about 1,663 living Americans carry the first name Zakia. It is a predominantly female name (99.1% of registrations). The average person named Zakia today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Zakia births was 1975 (88 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Zakia. 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
1.7K
~ 1 in 206,106 Americans
Peak year
1975
88 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2009 SSA rank
#11,049
Tracked since 1971
Gender
Gender distribution for Zakia
Out of the 1,730 babies given the name Zakia since 1880, 99.1% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Zakia as a male name
- Ranked #14,494 in 2009
- 5 male births in 2009
- Peak: 2004 (6 births)
Zakia as a female name
- Ranked #11,049 in 2024
- 9 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1975 (88 births)
Popularity
Zakia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Zakia from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 441 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
Zakia 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 Zakia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Zakias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 14 states and territories. Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Zakia, while Washington, Virginia, Ohio recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 37 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Zakia
The name Zakia finds its origins in the Arabic language and culture, tracing back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic word "zaky," which means pure, chaste, or virtuous. The name is believed to have gained popularity during the early Islamic era, particularly in regions where Arabic was the predominant language.
Zakia was a name traditionally given to girls with the hope that they would embody the qualities of purity and virtue. It was a common practice in Arabic-speaking societies to choose names that reflected desirable traits or religious values.
In the historical context, the name Zakia has been mentioned in various Arabic literary works and religious texts. One notable example is the inclusion of the name in the Hadith, a collection of sayings and traditions attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. This suggests that the name was in use during the early days of Islam.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Zakia can be found in medieval Arabic manuscripts and historical records. However, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact individuals who bore this name during that time period due to the scarcity of detailed records.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Zakia. One such individual was Zakia Khanum (1805-1876), a prominent Iranian poet and calligrapher during the Qajar dynasty. Her literary works and calligraphic skills were highly acclaimed, and she is considered a significant figure in Persian literature.
Another notable Zakia was Zakia Hosain (1912-2005), an Indian writer and social activist. She was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and was a prominent figure in the women's movement in India. Her novel "Phoenix Fled" is regarded as a classic in English literature from South Asia.
In the field of medicine, Zakia Bari (1950-present) is a renowned Pakistani oncologist and hematologist. She has made significant contributions to cancer research and treatment in Pakistan and has received numerous honors for her work.
Zakia Mashhour (1938-2022) was an Egyptian filmmaker and screenwriter who played a crucial role in shaping the Egyptian cinema during the 20th century. Her films often explored themes of social justice and women's rights, making her a pioneering figure in the Arab world.
Zakia Khudadadi (born 1987) is an Afghan taekwondo athlete who gained international recognition as the first woman to represent Afghanistan in the Paralympic Games. Her participation in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics was a symbol of hope and progress for women's rights in Afghanistan.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Zakia throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage associated with this name.
People
Zakia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Zakia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with Z
Other first names starting with Z with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Zakia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Zakia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,663 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Zakia 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 206,106 US residents.
Is Zakia a common name?
We classify Zakia as "Rare". It ranks above 92.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,730 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Zakia most popular?
The single biggest year for Zakia was 1975, when 88 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Zakia is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Zakia a female name?
Yes, 99.1% of people registered as Zakia 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.