Rokeya

Rokeya (Bengali: রোকেয়া) is a local Bengali form of the classical Arabic name Ruqayyah (رُقَيَّة). The Arabic root رقى (r-q-y) carries senses of rising or elevation; the diminutive form Ruqayyah has traditionally been analysed as 'little ascent' or 'one who rises.' In the Bengali Muslim context the name gained particular visibility through Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (1880–1932), a documented historical figure and social reformer focused on female education and literary reform in colonial Bengal. The name thus combines Arabic etymology with Bengali cultural history. Related historically attested names include [[Ruqayyah]] (the Classical Arabic form) and [[Rokia]] (a West African/Berber variant); in Bengal Rokeya stands as the standard localized spelling and pronunciation. Rokeya is not a Quranic name (no verse reference) but is firmly attested in early Islamic history through the root name Ruqayyah and in South Asian modern history through recorded figures. Pronunciation in Bengali generally follows /roˈkeja/ (roh-KEH-yah).