Ruqayyah, name meaning in Islam.

Ruqayyah (رُقَيَّة) is an Arabic name for girls. It means a name of the Arabs. Many link it to the root r-q-y, to rise; its exact meaning is debated.

Meaning and root

In Arabic, words are built from a root of usually three letters. Ruqayyah comes from the root ر ق ي, and words from the same root share its core meaning. Similar names from the same family of words are listed below.

Is Ruqayyah in the Quran?

No. Ruqayyah is not a word in the Quran. A name does not need to be in the Quran to be a good Muslim name: what matters is that its meaning is good. The Prophet ﷺ changed names with bad meanings and kept names with good ones.¹

How to say and write Ruqayyah

Say it ru-QAY-yah. The capital letters show the stressed part. In English it is also spelled Ruqaiya, Rukaya and Ruqayya. In Arabic it is written with 4 letters, from right to left: ر ra + ق qaf + ي ya + ة ta marbuta.

Choosing Ruqayyah

Many parents choose Ruqayyah to name their child after someone from the early generations of Islam, hoping the child will grow up with the same qualities. With the father's name it becomes Ruqayyah bint (and the father's name): see what bin, bint and abu mean.

Famous people named Ruqayyah

• Ruqayyah bint Muhammad, the Prophet's ﷺ daughter, wife of Uthman

Names like Ruqayyah

• Zaynab
• Umaima
• Sumayyah

1. Sahih Muslim 2139, the Prophet ﷺ changing a name with a bad meaning.
2. Sahih Muslim 2315.
3. Sahih Muslim 2132.
4. Meanings follow classical Arabic usage and the standard name dictionaries; our teachers will check each one.

Our teachers will check the Arabic spelling and meaning on this page before launch.