Girl · Arabic · Muslim
Ruqaiya
رقیہSay it ru-KAI-ya
- Meaning today
- Rising, ascent, exalted
- Original meaning
- "(root r-q-y) ascent, rising; also ruqya, a charm or spell" Lane, p. 1140
- Say it
- ru-KAI-ya
- Written
- رقیہ
- Other spellings
- Ruqayya, Rukaiya, Ruqayyah, Rukaya
Ruqaiya
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Ruqaiya meaning
Ruqaiya (رقیہ) is a Muslim girl's name of Arabic origin.
(root r-q-y) ascent, rising; also ruqya, a charm or spell
Also used to mean: exalted
Ruqaiya (رقیہ) is the Indian spelling of Arabic Ruqayya, from the root r-q-y. Lane's lexicon gives the verb raqiya as to ascend or climb, and ruqiyya as an ascent; the same root also gives ruqya, a charm or spell recited over the sick. Name lists usually give Ruqaiya as "rising" or "exalted", following the first sense, and a few mention the second. The name is honoured as that of Ruqayya, a daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, who was married to ʿUthmān. In India it is also remembered through Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, Akbar's first wife.
Source: Lane, An Arabic–English Lexicon (1863–93), p. 1140 · entry raqiya, ruqiyya (رُقِيَّةٌ), ruqya (رُقْيَةٌ), root r-q-y · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Lane, Arabic–English Lexicon, raqiya, ruqiyya, ruqya, p. 1140 · Wikipedia, Ruqayya bint Muhammad · Wikipedia, Ruqaiya Sultan Begum
Famous namesakes
- Ruqayya bint Muhammad, daughter of the Prophet
- Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, Mughal empress and first wife of Akbar
Spellings
Ruqaiya · Ruqayya · Rukaiya · Ruqayyah · Rukaya