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Ruqayya

Girl name · Arabic

Meaningrising, ascending · Arabic

Ruqayya is an Arabic girl name meaning “rising, ascending”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name.

Did you know?

  • Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Ruqayya would score 22 points, thanks largely to the Q (worth 10). A high-scoring name!
  • GenerationRuqayya is having its moment right now. Most Ruqayyas are still in diapers or at preschool, so picture a Gen Alpha or Gen Beta kid.
  • Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Ruqayya would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 64,103 baby girls got the name in 2025.
  • HistoryRuqayya first shows up in US birth records in 1996, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 29 years since.
Baby smiling with eyes closed
hello, little Ruqayya

US births per million girls, 1996–2025

0816199620002025

Similar names

Girl name: SumayyaGirl name: Ruqayyah
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).

About the name Ruqayya

Ruqayya is a girl name of Arabic origin meaning “rising, ascending”. With 3 syllables it has a flowing, lyrical sound, so a short middle name balances it nicely. It's a fresh, modern name that only arrived in US birth records in recent decades. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.

Origin:Arabic names

Other spellings of Ruqayya

Girl name: Ruqayyah

More Arabic girl names

Questions about the name Ruqayya

What does the name Ruqayya mean?

Ruqayya means “rising, ascending” and comes from Arabic. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Rohan (“ascending”) and Ruqayyah (“rising, ascending”).

What is the origin of the name Ruqayya?

Ruqayya is Arabic in origin. Other Arabic names to consider are Eleanor (“possibly light”), Layla (“night”), Lyla (“night”) and Aaliyah (“exalted”).

Is Ruqayya a boy or girl name?

Ruqayya is a girl name. In 2025, 25 US girls were named Ruqayya.

How popular is the name Ruqayya?

Ruqayya ranked #5,099 for US girls in 2025, given to 25 babies. That's its best rank ever: the name is at the height of its popularity right now.

What names are similar to Ruqayya?

If you like Ruqayya, you might also like Ruqayyah and Rohan. Ruqayyah is another spelling of the same name.

What should I know before naming my baby Ruqayya?

Ruqayya is an Arabic girl name meaning “rising, ascending”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.