Shahida
Girl name · 11 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Shahida: 11 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 5 births in 1976.
Shahida is an Arabic name meaning "witness" or "one who testifies," derived from the root *sh-h-d* which also gives us *shahid* (martyr) in a religious context. The name is particularly cherished in Muslim communities, often chosen for its connotations of faith and truthfulness. Among famous bearers, Shahida Rahman is a Scottish-Bangladeshi author known for her historical novel *Lascar*, which sheds light on forgotten seafaring communities. Place connections are less direct, though the name shares its root with the city of Shahada in Maharashtra, India, and the wider Islamic world. A notable variant is Shahidah, which carries the same meaning with a slightly different transliteration. In Scotland, Shahida has been a steady, if uncommon, choice since the 1990s, reflecting the country’s growing multicultural heritage.
Girl 3 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 19765 babies
- Latest (1979)
- #5353 babies
- Total births
- 11since 1975
- 5-year trend
- ≈ stablevs prior 5y