Fatima Girl

Popularity: #310 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: FAH-tee-mah //ˈfɑː.tɪ.mə//

Origin: Arabic; Spanish

Meaning: Arabic: 'one who is captivating'; Spanish: 'the one who is nourished'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Fatima has its roots in Arabic, deriving from the word "فاطمة" (Fāṭimah), which means "one who weans an infant" or "the abstainer." The name is historically significant in Islamic culture, particularly associated with Fatimah bint Muhammad, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadijah. She is revered in both Sunni and Shia traditions, often regarded as a symbol of purity and maternal devotion.

The name entered the Western lexicon through various cultural exchanges, particularly during the period of the Moorish presence in Spain from the 8th to the 15th centuries, where Arabic influence permeated the local languages and cultures. Fatimah's prominence in Islamic history is marked by her role as a key figure in the early Muslim community, and her legacy is celebrated through various religious observances and literature.

The 7th century saw the compilation of hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) that include references to her life and virtues, further solidifying her status. In the 20th century, the name gained additional resonance through the establishment of various cultural and religious institutions named in her honor, reflecting her enduring significance.

Culturally, Fatima is associated with themes of compassion, strength, and resilience. In many Islamic societies, the name is often linked to maternal figures and is celebrated for its historical and spiritual connotations.

The name has also inspired various diminutive forms and variations across cultures, such as Fatoumata in West Africa and Fátima in Portuguese-speaking countries. This cultural adaptability highlights the name's broad appeal and its deep-rooted connections to significant historical narratives.

Famous people named Fatima

In this section, you will find notable people named Fatima. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Fatima who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Fatima who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Fatima Ali was a chef and television personality best known for Top Chef and her culinary work in New York City.

Fatima Bhutto is a writer and journalist best known for her books Songs of Blood and Sword, The Shadow of the Crescent Moon, and Whispers of the Desert.

Fatima Jibrell is a humanitarian and activist best known for her work with African Development Solutions and her advocacy for women's rights in Somalia.

Fatima Sana Shaikh is an actress best known for Dangal, Thugs of Hindostan, and Ajeeb Daastaans.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Fatima, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

AminaLaylaZainabSamiraYasminNadia

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Fatima. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

AminaFatouZaraLeilaNinaSofiaMayaRania

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Fatima was first seen in the United States in 1919.

Fatima has ranked as high as #477 nationally, which occurred in 2007, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Michigan.

In the past 5 years the name Fatima has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Fatima is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Fatima was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Fatima.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 931 0 931
2024 974 0 974
2023 895 0 895
2022 905 0 905
2021 824 0 824
2020 908 0 908
2019 980 0 980
2018 917 0 917
2017 1,038 0 1,038
2016 1,069 0 1,069
2015 1,042 0 1,042
2014 1,013 0 1,013
2013 1,037 0 1,037
2012 1,057 0 1,057
2011 1,129 0 1,129
2010 1,213 0 1,213
2009 1,198 0 1,198
2008 1,391 0 1,391
2007 1,517 5 1,512
2006 1,515 0 1,515
2005 1,422 0 1,422
2004 1,204 6 1,198
2003 1,354 0 1,354
2002 1,294 7 1,287
2001 1,413 5 1,408
2000 1,316 0 1,316
1999 757 7 750
1998 512 0 512
1997 495 0 495
1996 422 0 422
1995 385 0 385
1994 403 0 403
1993 421 0 421
1992 360 0 360
1991 324 0 324
1990 367 5 362
1989 300 6 294
1988 293 0 293
1987 268 0 268
1986 225 0 225
1985 225 0 225
1984 251 5 246
1983 203 0 203
1982 245 0 245
1981 223 0 223
1980 211 0 211
1979 210 0 210
1978 171 0 171
1977 158 0 158
1976 157 0 157
1975 193 0 193
1974 151 0 151
1973 149 0 149
1972 107 0 107
1971 97 0 97
1970 91 0 91
1969 88 0 88
1968 81 0 81
1967 74 0 74
1966 45 0 45
1965 53 0 53
1964 47 0 47
1963 51 0 51
1962 59 0 59
1961 24 0 24
1960 43 0 43
1959 31 0 31
1958 34 0 34
1957 26 0 26
1956 22 0 22
1955 36 0 36
1954 38 0 38
1953 20 0 20
1952 38 0 38
1951 19 0 19
1950 17 0 17
1949 27 0 27
1948 11 0 11
1947 23 0 23
1946 11 0 11
1945 12 0 12
1944 10 0 10
1943 11 0 11
1942 5 0 5
1941 6 0 6
1940 9 0 9
1939 9 0 9
1938 10 0 10
1937 6 0 6
1936 6 0 6
1935 6 0 6
1933 5 0 5
1932 6 0 6
1931 7 0 7
1930 7 0 7
1929 7 0 7
1927 5 0 5
1924 5 0 5
1921 5 0 5
1919 6 0 6

Top States for Fatima (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
NY 132
14%
CA 130
14%
TX 118
12%
MI 47
5%
IL 45
5%
WA 38
4%
FL 36
4%
OH 33
3%
GA 32
3%
VA 31
3%
MD 30
3%
PA 29
3%
NJ 25
3%
NC 23
2%
AZ 21
2%
MN 20
2%
KY 16
2%
IN 15
2%
CO 13
1%
MA 11
1%
OR 11
1%
TN 9
1%
CT 9
1%
LA 8
1%
SC 7
1%
NV 7
1%
UT 7
1%
IA 7
1%
MO 7
1%
AL 7
1%
NM 7
1%
OK 6
1%
MS 6
1%
NE 5
1%