Houdhoud, the hoopoe

A Name Story by Houdhoud

رُقَيَّة

Ruqayya

ru-QAY-yah

Ascent, rise.”

About Ruqayya

Ruqayya is a Muslim baby girl's name meaning "ascent, rise" — an Arabic name carried for centuries across the Muslim world.

From the Arabic root ر-ق-ي meaning 'to ascend, to rise'. Borne by Ruqayya bint Muhammad, a daughter of the Prophet ﷺ.

Common across Arab and South Asian families.

Origin & roots

Origin

Arabic

Gender

Girl

Also spelled

Ruqayyah, Ruqaya, Rokaya

Root letters

ر ق يR-Q-Y

In Arabic, root letters are the seed that gives a word its meaning. Every word built from them inherits that family of meaning — and Ruqayya is one such word.

Across history

Who has carried Ruqayya before.

  • Ruqayya bint Muhammad, daughter of the Prophet ﷺ

How to say it

ru·QAY·yah

Stressed syllable in capitals

Discover names like Ruqayya

Other names with the same heart — close in origin, sound, and spirit.

Looking for a name made for your family?

I’ll ask six warm questions about your family — heritage, the sound you love, who you’d like to honor — and find names made for yours. About ninety seconds.

Free · No sign-up

Ruqayya: Meaning, Pronunciation, and Origin · Houdhoud