UK girl's name
Aneela
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "heavenly flower".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Aneela is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Aneela popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5666, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 14 births.
This profile covers 99 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 1996 to 2018. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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.
The latest count is about 21% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 101 living people in the UK are called Aneela. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Aneela ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 14 girls were registered as Aneela.
- • Aneela ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #576 in 1989.
- • About 101 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aneela as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5666
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
14 births
Estimated living
101
2026
Meaning
What does Aneela mean?
The name Aneela has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, with a likely origin dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Arabic word "an-nayla," which means "the achievement" or "the attainment." The name is closely related to the masculine name Aneel, which shares the same linguistic roots.
One of the earliest known references to the name Aneela can be found in ancient Islamic texts and historical records from the 9th century. During this time, the name gained popularity among Muslim communities across the Middle East and North Africa.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Aneela. One such figure was Aneela bint Khalid (1150-1220), a renowned poet and scholar from Andalusia, who was celebrated for her contributions to Arabic literature. Another prominent figure was Aneela al-Basri (1210-1278), a Sufi mystic and spiritual teacher from Basra, Iraq, whose teachings and writings influenced the development of Islamic mysticism.
In the 16th century, Aneela Begum (1540-1615) was a prominent figure in the Mughal Empire, serving as a noble and advisor to Emperor Akbar. Her influence and wisdom earned her great respect and admiration within the Mughal court.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Aneela Qureshi (1820-1895) was a pioneering educator and social reformer from British India. She established one of the first schools for Muslim girls in the region and was a vocal advocate for women's education and empowerment.
In the 20th century, Aneela Ahmad (1910-1992) was a celebrated Pakistani writer and activist who played a significant role in the country's independence movement. Her works focused on social justice, women's rights, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have carried the name Aneela throughout history, each making their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and intellectual traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Aneela over time
The chart below shows babies named Aneela registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Aneela, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 14 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Aneela by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aneela 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4793 | 17 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3638 | 41 | 8 |
| 1990s | #1689 | 41 | 4 |
Geography
Where Aneela is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Aneela. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Aneela ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #576 in 1989.
Across the UK
Aneela in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#576 in 1989
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Aneela
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Aneela: questions and answers
How popular is the name Aneela in the UK right now?
In 2018, Aneela was ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Aneela most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 14 babies registered as Aneela in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Aneela?
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "heavenly flower".
How many people are called Aneela in the UK?
A total of 99 babies have been registered as Aneela across the 16 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Aneela most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Aneela ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #576 in 1989. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.