Where does the name Soumaya come from?

Soumaya is a girl name of Arabic origin. "Sumayya" is the classical spelling.

Is Soumaya a boy or a girl name?

Soumaya is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 69 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.

How do you pronounce Soumaya?

Soumaya is pronounced soo-MAY-yah (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Soumaya?

Soumaya is also written as Sumaya, Sumayya.

A name from Arabic · Girl

Soumaya

سُمَيَّة

Affectionate diminutive meaning "little elevated one, little noble one." Sumayya bint Khayyat was the first martyr of Islam, tortured to death by the Meccans for her faith.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 26-year arc in numbers.

69 U.S. births recorded from 1997–2023.

Popularity · 1997–2022

7 births in 2022

1997 2009 2022

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

SAffectionate diminutive meaning "little elevated one, little noble one." Sumayya bint Khayyat was the first martyr of Islam, tortured to death by the Meccans for her faith.

Etymology, in one line

Arabic root: s-m-w — س-م-و, elevation

Regional variants

"Sumayya" is the classical spelling. Carries deep symbolic weight as the name of Islam's first martyr — often chosen by parents for its courage narrative.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Soumaya".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Sumaya Most common Sumayya

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Soumaya.

S
Sumayya bint Khayyat

Quick answers

People often ask about Soumaya.

What does the name Soumaya mean?: Soumaya means affectionate diminutive meaning "little elevated one, little noble one." Sumayya bint Khayyat was the first martyr of Islam, tortured to death by the Meccans for her faith.
Where does the name Soumaya come from?: Soumaya is a girl name of Arabic origin. "Sumayya" is the classical spelling.
Is Soumaya a boy or a girl name?: Soumaya is overwhelmingly a girl name in the United States. Of the 69 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are girls.
How do you pronounce Soumaya?: Soumaya is pronounced soo-MAY-yah (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Soumaya?: Soumaya is also written as Sumaya, Sumayya.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.