Given Name

Rabi'ah

RAH-bee-ah (with a light voiced ʿayn sound: /ra.bi.ʕah/)

Pronunciation: RAH-bee-ah (with a light voiced ʿayn sound: /ra.bi.ʕah/)

الربيع؛ الرابعة

Girl Rare

Origin

Arabic (historically attested in early Islamic history)

Meaning

Spring; fourth (feminine); historically associated with Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya, Sufi saint and early Muslim mystic

Thematic Cluster

Names of Early Female Sufis and Saints

Islamic Status

Uncommon

Verification

Needs Review

Quality Score

Not scored

Religious Confidence

Not scored

Letters

Meaning Urdu

بہار؛ چوتھی

Meaning Arabic

الربيع؛ الرابعة

Rabi'ah (Arabic: ربيعة, transliteration Rabiʿah) is a feminine Arabic name meaning 'spring' or literally 'fourth'. The name is historically attested and widely known because of Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya (Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya al-Qaysiyya), an 8th-century female Muslim saint and early Sufi mystic famed for teachings on divine love and asceticism; references to her appear in classical hagiographies and later Sufi literature. While the name itself does not function as a Quranic proper noun, its historical bearer has shaped the name's spiritual connotations in Muslim cultural memory. The name is used among Arabic, Malay, and wider Muslim communities, typically as a rare, devotion‑oriented feminine name. Related or similar historical and lexical names include [[Rabia]] and [[Rabi]], and in Malay usage you may find forms adapted in local orthography. Pronounced RA-bee-ʿah (IPA: /ra.bi.ʕah/), Rabi'ah is appropriate for families inspired by Islamic spiritual heritage and early Muslim role models. The name balances historical attestation with uncommon modern usage.

FAQs

Who was Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya?

Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya was an 8th-century Muslim saint and early Sufi mystic celebrated for teachings on divine love; her life is recorded in classical Sufi hagiographies.

Does the name Rabi'ah appear in the Quran?

No. Rabi'ah as a proper name does not appear as a person in the Quran, though the word for spring (rabiʿ) exists in Arabic vocabulary.

Is Rabi'ah used in Malay or South-East Asian Muslim communities?

Yes. Due to historical Islamic influence and veneration of early Muslim figures, Rabi'ah is used, though not widely, in Malay-speaking Muslim families.

What is the literal meaning of Rabi'ah?

Literally it is associated with 'spring' (season) and morphologically relates to 'fourth'; in names it commonly conveys the season or the ordinal notion.

Is Rabi'ah appropriate for a child if parents want a spiritually resonant name?

Yes. Because of its association with Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya, the name carries spiritual and mystical connotations appreciated by many families.

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Murtaza