Rukiya
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- roo-KEE-ya
- Origin
- Arabic
Rukiya is a girls' name of Arabic origin, meaning “rising, ascending”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Rukiya mean?
Arabic: East African and Swahili form of Ruqayyah
“rising, ascending”
Ruqayyah was a daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and Khadijah, and wife of the third caliph, Uthman.
Is Rukiya a girl's or a boy's name?
Rukiya is a girls' name.
How popular is Rukiya in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2003, with 6 girls.
Half of all the girls named Rukiya in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2010. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.
Rukiya in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3 | #5,998 |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 3 | #5,983 |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 3 | #6,108 |
| 2011 | 3 | #6,007 |
| 2010 | 4 | #4,931 |
| 2009 | 5 | #4,141 |
| 2008 | 3 | #5,772 |
| 2007 | 3 | #5,415 |
| 2006 | 5 | #3,724 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 0 | – |
| 2003 | 6 | #2,877 |
| 2002 | 4 | #3,556 |
| 2001 | 3 | #4,156 |
| 2000 | 3 | #4,074 |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 3 | #4,026 |
| 1997 | 5 | #2,896 |
| 1996 | 5 | #2,815 |
How popular is Rukiya in the US?
No girls in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1974, with 20 girls. It first appears in the records in 1973.
Half of all the girls named Rukiya in the US since 1880 were born between 1978 and 1999, the years shaded on the chart below.
Rukiya in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | #15,288 |
| 2023 | 0 | – |
| 2022 | 10 | #9,674 |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 5 | #15,083 |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 8 | #11,422 |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 8 | #12,193 |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 5 | #17,288 |
| 2008 | 5 | #17,498 |
| 2007 | 6 | #15,485 |
| 2006 | 0 | – |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 11 | #9,259 |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 0 | – |
| 2001 | 10 | #9,344 |
| 2000 | 0 | – |
| 1999 | 8 | #10,338 |
| 1998 | 0 | – |
| 1997 | 8 | #9,797 |
| 1996 | 9 | #8,807 |
| 1995 | 9 | #8,761 |
| 1994 | 7 | #10,563 |
| 1993 | 0 | – |
| 1992 | 7 | #10,471 |
| 1991 | 8 | #9,328 |
| 1990 | 9 | #8,495 |
| 1989 | 6 | #10,841 |
| 1988 | 6 | #10,381 |
| 1987 | 0 | – |
| 1986 | 5 | #10,907 |
| 1985 | 5 | #10,672 |
| 1984 | 6 | #9,139 |
| 1983 | 11 | #5,822 |
| 1982 | 0 | – |
| 1981 | 12 | #5,570 |
| 1980 | 14 | #4,977 |
| 1979 | 16 | #4,419 |
| 1978 | 15 | #4,459 |
| 1977 | 14 | #4,651 |
| 1976 | 20 | #3,406 |
| 1975 | 16 | #3,948 |
| 1974 | 20 | #3,313 |
| 1973 | 6 | #7,433 |
Names like Rukiya
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Safiya Aliya Afiya Khadija Ruqayyah Samiya Halima Hadiya Safia Aaliyah Aaliya Rabia
Names related to Rukiya
More Arabic names
Muhammad Layla Mohammed Lyla Mohammad Zara Amir Amira Fatima Ali Yahya Zayn Aisha Omar Zahra Hamza
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Rukiya: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/rukiya, updated 20 October 2026.