UK boy's name
Aanav
A masculine name of Indian origin meaning "unique" or "incomparable".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Aanav is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Aanav popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3451, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 5 births.
This profile covers 21 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2015 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Aanav is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 21 living people in the UK are called Aanav. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Aanav ranked #3451 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 5 boys were registered as Aanav.
- • About 21 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aanav as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3451
2021
Births in 2021
5
Latest year
Peak year
2021
5 births
Estimated living
21
2026
Meaning
What does Aanav mean?
The name Aanav has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It is believed that the name Aanav emerged around the 5th century BCE during the Vedic period, which was a significant era in the development of Hindu culture and philosophy.
The name Aanav is derived from the Sanskrit word "anav," which means "small" or "humble." It is a compound word formed by combining the prefix "a" (meaning "not") and the root "nav" (meaning "new" or "fresh"). Therefore, the name Aanav can be interpreted as "one who is not new" or "one who is experienced."
In ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and the Upanishads, the name Aanav is not explicitly mentioned. However, the concept of humility and simplicity, which is embodied in the meaning of the name, is widely celebrated in these sacred scriptures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Aanav can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. In this epic, Aanav is mentioned as the name of a prominent warrior who fought alongside the Pandava princes during the great Kurukshetra war.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Aanav. One of the most famous was Aanav Chandra Gupta (320 BCE - 298 BCE), who was the founder of the Maurya Empire, one of the largest empires in ancient India. His reign was marked by significant territorial expansion and administrative reforms.
Another prominent figure was Aanav Mishra (8th century CE), a renowned Hindu philosopher and scholar who made significant contributions to the Nyaya school of Indian philosophy. His works, such as the Pramana-samuccaya, were highly influential in shaping the discourse on epistemology and logic in ancient India.
In the field of literature, Aanav Datt (1670 - 1730) was a celebrated poet and writer from the Mughal era. He authored several works, including the Kavi-priya, a treatise on poetics, and the Rasik-priya, a collection of verses exploring the philosophy of love and devotion.
In more recent times, Aanav Kaul (1927 - 2002) was a distinguished Indian diplomat and statesman who served as India's Ambassador to several countries, including the United States and the Soviet Union.
Lastly, Aanav Prakash (1941 - 2016) was a renowned Indian musician and vocalist who was widely acclaimed for his mastery of the Hindustani classical music tradition. He received numerous awards and honors, including the prestigious Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aanav over time
The chart below shows babies named Aanav registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Aanav, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2021, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aanav by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aanav was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3650 | 9 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3947 | 12 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Aanav
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Aanav: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aanav in the UK right now?
In 2021, Aanav was ranked #3451 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Aanav most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 5 babies registered as Aanav in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aanav?
A masculine name of Indian origin meaning "unique" or "incomparable".
How many people are called Aanav in the UK?
A total of 21 babies have been registered as Aanav across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.