Sakinah
A girl's name of Arabic origin with 1,039 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
inner peace, tranquility, calmness
Sakinah is a girl's baby name of Arabic origin, from the Arabic word sakina, meaning 'inner peace,' 'tranquility,' or 'divine calm.' In Islamic tradition, Sakina refers to the sense of serenity and divine presence that descends upon the heart — mentioned in the Quran as a quality God bestows upon the faithful in moments of difficulty.
With over 1,000 recorded U.S. births, Sakinah has found genuine community among Muslim families. It is a name of extraordinary psychological and spiritual depth — the idea that a child brings not just joy but a particular kind of divine peace into the world. Its sound is soft and gentle, perfectly matching its meaning.
EtymologyShow more
Sakinah is built from 7 letters and three syllables — a mid-length form that balances memorability with distinctiveness. Within the Arabic naming tradition, this length is typical of names that preserve their full historical form, carrying their etymology on the surface.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Sakinah creates its characteristic open, warm quality. Multi-syllable names often carry remnants of compound constructions — two or more meaningful elements fused together — even when the original components are no longer transparent to modern speakers.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Sakinah was #8625 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #10908, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 66 | #9044 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 114 | #9909 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 148 | #8529 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 181 | #5736 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 255 | #3748 | — |
| 1970s | 275 | #2828 | — |
The Story of Sakinah
A Gen X name
Peaking in 1976, Sakinah is a Gen X staple. Girls named Sakinah are most likely born between 1971 and 1986.
How rare is Sakinah?
Only about 1 in every 400,000 babies born in 2024 was named Sakinah — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1971, peaked in the 1970s with 275 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Sakinah by the numbers
- Would fill 22 school buses
- Meeting one Sakinah per day would take 2.8 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(54 years, 1971–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | #10908 |
| 2023 | 15 | #7574 |
| 2022 | 23 | #5600 |
| 2021 | 9 | #11001 |
| 2020 | 10 | #10136 |
| 2019 | 11 | #9632 |
| 2018 | 10 | #10429 |
| 2017 | 10 | #10565 |
| 2016 | 10 | #10713 |
| 2015 | 12 | #9389 |
| 2014 | 9 | #11773 |
| 2013 | 11 | #10126 |
| 2012 | 13 | #9028 |
| 2011 | 12 | #9620 |
| 2010 | 16 | #7819 |
| 2009 | 20 | #6768 |
| 2008 | 9 | #12406 |
| 2007 | 12 | #10032 |
| 2006 | 16 | #7785 |
| 2005 | 9 | #11649 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sakinah a boy's or girl's name?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1971–2024