Khadeja

Meaning & origin

Khadeja entered U.S. naming records in 1973, reflecting the growing diversity of American baby names. Although it never reached the top 1,000, it achieved its peak popularity in 1994, a time when many Arabic names gained broader recognition. The name has remained stable in usage through 2025, with no clear trajectory toward a revival. Its rarity is underscored by the absence of a one-in-N statistic, meaning it occurs too infrequently to calculate. While no single U.S. state appeared as a top location, the name likely finds modest use in communities with significant Muslim populations. The spelling Khadeja is one of several transliterations of the classical Khadija, a name of profound historical importance in Islam.

Khadeja is a variant spelling of Khadija, an Arabic name derived from the root khadija meaning 'to be premature' or 'to come early'. Khadija bint Khuwaylid was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad and a highly respected figure in Islam. The name has been widely used across the Muslim world for centuries, with numerous spelling variations reflecting different transliterations from Arabic script.