Declining since 2022, #4,546 for girls today.
Popularity of Safiyah since 1985
Babies named Safiyah per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 17 |
| 1990s | 82 |
| 2000s | 202 |
| 2010s | 279 |
| 2020s | 219 |
Meaning & origin
Safiyah first appeared in U.S. records in 1985 and has seen modest but steady use since. The name reached its peak popularity in 2023, but has since fallen in rank. As of 2025, it is given to roughly 1 in 53,576 girls, ranking 4,546 nationally. The name is most commonly used in California. Safiyah has a strong cultural identity tied to its Arabic roots and Islamic heritage, while remaining accessible in English-speaking contexts.
Safiyah is a feminine form of the Arabic name Safi, derived from the root ṣ-f-w, conveying purity and clarity. It is also a variant of Safiyya, borne by one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. The name has been used across the Arabic-speaking world and among Muslim communities globally.
Where Safiyah is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Safiyah” around the world
Where Safiyah lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
35
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Safi, Fifi, Saffy, Fi-Fi
Sibling names for Safiyah
Names that share Safiyah's style, for a brother or sister.
