Safiya

Safiya - A very unique female name

Safiya appeared on the charts for the first time in 1975 on position #3111. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Safiya and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Safiya? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Safiya. The baby girl name Safiya was given to 126 baby girls in 2025, ranking #1265 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 10,345 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Safiya peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 1265.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Safiya, 1-5?

Safiya is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Safiya is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #502 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,591.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Safiya is where you live.

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Safiya origin and meaning

Arabic

From Arabic safiy, 'pure, clear' — Safiya means 'pure one'

Safiya is an Arabic name from the word for pure and clear, carried into history by Safiyya bint Huyayy, one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. It has been used in the US since 1975, reached its best years in the mid-2020s, and is rising as Muslim families favour names with both meaning and softness. Spellings vary by transliteration — Safiya, Safiyya, Saphiya.

Attested etymology

Safiya is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Safiya, pop culture references for the name Safiya and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Safiya

We've found the following names that sound similar to Safiya, sorted by popularity.

Sophia / Sofia / Sophie / Sofie / Safa / Safia / Saba / Sofiya / Svea / Sheba /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Safiya

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Safiya a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Safiya?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

sah-FEE-yuh · /sɑˈfiːjə/

Around the world

• Safiye (Turkish) — The Turkish form of the same Arabic name

Spellings and nicknames

• Safiyya — The doubled-y transliteration of the same name
• Saphiya — A ph-respelling in US use

Nicknames: SafiFiya

Famous bearers

• Safiyya bint Huyayy — A wife of the Prophet Muhammad, known for her learning and her role in early Medina (c. 610–670) Historical

Style

International

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Safiya for an Arabic classic that means pure, with deep roots in Islamic history.

Worth knowing

• Transliteration variants (Safiya/Safiyya/Saphiya) mean the spelling will vary across documents and relatives