Sophia Girl
soh-FEE-uh
“wisdom” · Greek
#5
Dua
GirlArabic· “prayer, supplication”
- Meaning
- prayer, supplication
- Origin
- Arabic
- Pronunciation
- DOO-uh
- Syllables
- 1
- US rank 2025
- #1,060
- US babies 2025
- 231
- Best rank
- #1,060 (2025)
- Peak year
- 2025
Meaning and origin of Dua
Dua is an Arabic name that means “prayer, supplication”.
Dua is an Arabic word meaning prayer or supplication, referring to personal prayers offered to God, as distinct from the formal daily prayers. It is used as a girls' name across the Muslim world, especially in South Asia. The singer Dua Lipa, born to Kosovar Albanian parents, has made the name widely known internationally, and in Albanian dua also means love. It is pronounced DOO-uh. Duaa and Doaa are other transliterations of the same Arabic word, which is used in everyday speech for a personal prayer.
Popularity over time
Dua first appears in US Social Security records in 1993. It has never ranked in the national top 1,000, which keeps it genuinely uncommon. It is at its all-time high right now: 2025 brought both its best national rank, #1,060, and its highest count, 231 babies. Use has grown 600% in ten years.
Its national rank moved from #10,129 in 2000, #5,287 in 2010, and #1,060 in 2025. Of the 1,485 US girls named Dua since records began, 60% were born in the 2020s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 410 babies.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Liyana, Chiara, Jubilee, Jalani, and Lailani.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Dua ranked highest in Connecticut, New York, and Virginia.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | #329 | 9 |
| New York | #453 | 38 |
| Virginia | #493 | 16 |
| New Jersey | #506 | 15 |
| Illinois | #525 | 19 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Dua is usually pronounced DOO-uh, with one syllable. It has three letters, starts with D and ends in “-ua”.
Middle names for Dua
A few middle names that flow with Dua: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Dua
Similar names
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Lists that include Dua
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Dua mean?
Dua is an Arabic name that means “prayer, supplication”.
What is the origin of the name Dua?
Dua has Arabic roots. Dua is an Arabic word meaning prayer or supplication, referring to personal prayers offered to God, as distinct from the formal daily prayers.
Is Dua a popular name?
Not especially. Dua ranked #1,060 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Dua a boy or girl name?
Dua is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Dua?
Dua is usually pronounced DOO-uh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings