Muslim Name · Female · Arabic origin

رابعة

Rabia Name Meaning in Islam

Spring (the season); fourth.

رابعة·Rabia
Meaning
Spring (the season); fourth. Rābiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya, the Sufi mystic
Origin
Arabic
Gender
Girl
Arabic root
ر-ب-ع
Urdu
رابعہ
Pronunciation
RAA-bi-a /ˈraː.bi.ʕa/
Lucky number
8

Is Rabia an Islamic name? Yes. Rabia is an established name in Muslim use, Arabic in origin. Its settled meaning is: Spring (the season); fourth. Rābiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya, the Sufi mystic. Islamic tradition asks that a name carry a good meaning and claim nothing that belongs to God alone, and this name meets both.

Read the letter-by-letter reading ↓

Section 1 · Arabic Root

Where the Name Comes From

ر-ب-ع

ر-ب-ع. From r-b-ʿ, to be fourth or to spring forth.

Section 2 · Ilm ul Huroof

Read Letter by Letter

رRaAl-Rahman · The MercifulWaterاAlifAl-Ahad · The OneFireبBaAl-Batin · The InteriorEarthعAinAl-Alim · The All-KnowingWaterةTa marbutaAl-Tawwab · The RelentingEarth

Ra mercy, Alif origin, Ba foundation, Ayn perception, Ta completion.

Section 3 · Synthesis

What This Reading Says About You

Rabia weaves earth and water, the elements of steadiness and mercy, patience and feeling. The person is asked to be both root and river, a slow, sheltering presence. Running through the reading is Al-Rahman, the Merciful, meaning the bearer is trusted with mercy that keeps moving even when tested, joined by Al-Tawwab, the Relenting, carried as the readiness to return and be returned to. A person named Rabia holds their people through seasons.

Section 4 · What Families Say

What People Usually Mean by This Name

From the Arabic rābiʿa (رابعة), 'the fourth', the feminine of rābiʿ. The most weight-bearing bearer is Rābiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya al-Qaysiyya (c. 717–801 CE), the great female Sufi mystic of Basra, often called 'the Mother of Sufism' for her teachings on pure divine love (maḥabbah) without hope of reward and without fear of punishment: 'O Allah, if I worship You from fear of Hell, burn me in Hell; and if I worship You from hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise; but if I worship You for Your own sake, do not withhold from me Your eternal beauty'.

A widely-used girls' name across the Arab world, Pakistan, Turkey, and the Maghreb. Bearer notes: Rabia Lateef, Pakistani actress; Rabia Akhtar, Pakistani academic.

Variants: Rabiah, Rabia, Rabe'a (Persian), Rabiʿah, Rebia (Maghrebi-French), Rabia (standard). The Sufi tradition has carried this name as a particular honour to women of mystical depth. Pair-names: Khadija, Aisha, Maryam, Sumayyah.

Section 5 · Bearers

Who Has Carried This Name

  • Rābiʿa al-ʿAdawiyya
    c.717–801 CE·Basra
    Foundational figure in early Sufi tradition

How to Pronounce Rabia

PronunciationRAA-bi-a  ·  raa·bi·ʿa  ·  3 syllables
IPA /ˈraː.bi.ʕa/ Final letter is ʿayn, not a vowel.

Is this the spelling you searched?

They are the same name. Rabia is also written Rabiya and Rabiyah. One name, several romanisations of رابعة.

Rabia ✓RabiyaRabiyah

Want a different reading? Read another →

Names sharing the ر Ra influence

Like Rabia, these names carry Ra (ر) as their leading letter influence.

JarrarBariraRawanRuqayyahRoohiRidwan
Share your reading If this reading rings true, send it to someone who carries the name, or a family choosing it.
X Facebook

Explore Related Names

RahmaRuqayyahRaniaRuhi

Names with shared patterns

Other names in the same family as Rabia, connected by root, by letter, or by community.

Aabidashares the dominant letter 'a' · Devoted worshipper Aairahshares the dominant letter 'a' · Noble, respectful, one who visits Aaliyashares the dominant letter 'a' · Elevated Aamirashares the dominant letter 'a' · Princess, full of life Aatikashares the dominant letter 'a' · Pure, fragrant, set free AbeerArabic origin · Fragrance

Patterns are drawn from the root of Rabia, its dominant letter, and where the name lives in the wider tradition.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the name Rabia

What does the name Rabia mean?
Rabia means: Fourth. Rabia al-Adawiyya, the greatest woman Sufi, who taught the world divine love. From root ر-ب-ع (the fourth, spring). Most famous as the name of Rabia al-Adawiyya, the greatest woman Sufi who first articulated pure divine love as the highest form of worship. One of the top 10 most searched Muslim girl names globally.
Is Rabia mentioned in the Quran?
Rabia is not directly a Quranic name, but means 'the fourth.' The concept of divine love (mahabbah) that Rabia al-Adawiyya popularised is rooted in the Quran: 'Allah will bring forth a people He loves and who love Him' (5:54). 'He loves them and they love Him'. Quran 5:54.
What does Rabia mean in Urdu?
Rabia in Urdu is رابعہ (Rabia) meaning چوتھی، بہار, fourth, spring, divine love.
Is Rabia a good Islamic name?
Yes, Rabia is an excellent Islamic name. It carries the meaning: Fourth. Rabia al-Adawiyya, the greatest woman Sufi, who taught the world divine love. The Prophet ﷺ said: "You will be called by your names on the Day of Resurrection, so give yourselves good names" (Abu Dawud).
Is Rabia a girl or boy name?
Rabia is traditionally a Muslim girl name meaning Fourth. Rabia al-Adawiyya, the greatest woman Sufi, who taught the world divine love.
What is the spiritual meaning of Rabia in Ilm ul Huroof?
Ra (ر) gives perpetual mercy, Alif (ا) grounds in origin, Ba (ب) is the vessel, Ain (ع) gives the perceiving spring, Ha (ه) breathes divine presence. Total devotion: merciful, originary, holding, perceiving, divinely present.

Is your name Rabia?

Add the names of your father and mother to trace how their field met Rabia.

Read My Name Now →