The first name Fatima
A girl’s name from Arabic.
Pronounced /ˈfɑ.ti.mə/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Arabic origin
From Arabic فَاطِمَة (fāṭima). The name Fatima is from the Arabic root f-t-m (lit. 'to wean') and signifies the Shia belief that she, her progeny, and her adherents (Shi'a) have been spared from hellfire. Alternatively, the word Fatima is associated in Shia sources with Fatir (lit. 'creator', a name of God) as the earthly symbol of the divine creative power.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 598 girls were named Fatima, making it the 79th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2024, with 619 births (#76).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Fatima with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Fatima at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 931 girls born in the United States were named Fatima, the 330th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2006, when 1,515 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Fatima in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Famous people named Fatima
28 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- FatimaDaughter of Muhammad (c. 605–632)
- Fatima WhitbreadBritish athlete; former javelin thrower, born 1961
- Fatimah bint AsadCompanion and aunt of Muhammad, 568–625
- Fātima bint MūsāDaughter of the Seventh Twelver Imam, 790–816
- Fátima PtacekAmerican actress, born 2000
- Fatima AzizAfghan physician and politician, 1973–2021
- Fatima Moreira de MeloFormer Dutch field hockey and poker player, born 1978
- Fátima de MadridAndalusian astronomer
- Fatima PaymanAustralian politician (born 1995)
- Fátima VeigaCape Verdean politician and diplomat (* 1957)
- Fatima NaootEgyptian poet and translator, born 1964
- Fátima PintoAssociation football player, born 1996
More Arabic girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Fatima mean?
- From Arabic فَاطِمَة (fāṭima). The name Fatima is from the Arabic root f-t-m (lit. 'to wean') and signifies the Shia belief that she, her progeny, and her adherents (Shi'a) have been spared from hellfire. Alternatively, the word Fatima is associated in Shia sources with Fatir…
- What is the origin of the name Fatima?
- From Arabic فَاطِمَة (fāṭima). The name Fatima is from the Arabic root f-t-m (lit. 'to wean') and signifies the Shia belief that she, her progeny, and her adherents (Shi'a) have been spared from hellfire. Alternatively, the word Fatima is associated in Shia sources with Fatir (lit. 'creator', a…
- How popular is the name Fatima?
- In 2025, 598 girls born in England and Wales were named Fatima, ranking 79th. Its peak was 2024, with 619 births.
- Is Fatima a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 38,991 US babies named Fatima since 1880 were girls.
- When was Fatima most popular?
- 2006 in the United States, when 1,515 babies were named Fatima, its highest rank at 228th.
- How do you pronounce Fatima?
- Fatima is /ˈfɑ.ti.mə/, 3 syllables.
- Is Fatima also a surname?
- Yes. Fatima is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.