Fun Facts About the Name Afiya
- 358 babies named Afiya: U.S. records list 358 babies given the name Afiya from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Afiya Mean?
Afiya is an Arabic name meaning "health," "well-being," or "soundness." It comes from the Arabic noun ʿāfiyah (عافية), built on the root ʿ-f-y, which concerns being sound, healthy, and free from illness; the same root gives ʿāfā ("to heal, to restore to health") and ʿafw ("pardon"). The literal sense is bodily health and freedom from sickness, while the customary sense of the name is wider: safety, ease, and general well-being.
The same Arabic word passed into Swahili as afya, "health," which is how the name is most often understood in East Africa. In the Akan day-name tradition of Ghana, a girl born on Friday is called Afia (also Afua, Efua), and Afiya appears as a spelling of that name; that origin is independent of the Arabic word.
Afiya Name History & Origins
The Arabic name comes from ordinary vocabulary for health and recovery. ʿĀfiyah is used in Arabic for wellness and for the state of being unharmed, and because it also carries the sense of health granted by God, forms of the word appear in blessings and in personal names. The feminine given name ʿĀfiyah is used in Arabic-speaking communities and is spelled in English as Afiya, Afia, or Afiyah.
As Arabic spread with Islam along the East African coast, the word entered Swahili as afya, and the name Afiya is used in Swahili-speaking East Africa. Through South Asian Muslim communities it also appears in Pakistan and India, usually as Afia or Afiyah.
The Akan day-name system of Ghana works differently: a child's name is set by the day of the week of birth, and Friday-born girls are named Afia or Afua. Afiya occurs as one spelling of that Friday name, so the same written form can belong to two unrelated naming traditions.
How Popular is the Name Afiya?
Afiya has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #4,881 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,881 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 2024 | #9,537 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #6,169 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2022 | #6,457 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #8,978 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #8,410 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #10,503 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #10,568 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #12,745 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #16,298 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #13,044 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #12,226 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #13,382 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #14,996 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #17,576 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #17,696 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #17,235 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #16,155 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #12,210 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #12,460 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #10,856 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #11,827 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #7,101 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1993 | #8,060 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #8,742 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #11,524 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #8,506 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #10,392 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #9,841 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #9,554 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #8,326 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #9,021 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #8,231 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #5,256 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #5,547 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #6,191 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #8,569 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #7,571 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #9,295 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #6,490 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #8,791 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #6,669 | 7 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Afiya Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Afiya's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Afiya's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.