NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Aneira

A feminine Welsh name meaning "very beautiful" or "fair one".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Aneira is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Aneira popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1160, with 29 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 36 births.

This profile covers 387 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1998 to 2024. 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.

The latest count is about 81% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 385 living people in the UK are called Aneira. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Aneira ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 29 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 36 girls were registered as Aneira.
  • About 385 living people in the UK are estimated to have Aneira as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1160

2024

Births in 2024

29

Latest year

Peak year

2023

36 births

Estimated living

385

2026

Meaning

What does Aneira mean?

The name Aneira originates from the Welsh language and culture. It is believed to have derived from the Welsh word "aneryr," which means "snowdrop" or "gorse flower." The name's roots can be traced back to the early medieval period in Wales, around the 5th to 7th centuries.

Aneira was a relatively common name among the ancient Britons, particularly in the regions of modern-day Wales and southwestern England. It is found in some early Welsh poetry and literature, although specific references are scarce due to the limited surviving records from that era.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Aneira was a Welsh noblewoman who lived in the 9th century. She was the daughter of Rhodri the Great, a prominent king of Gwynedd and Powys. Unfortunately, not much is known about her life beyond her name and lineage.

In the 12th century, an Aneira ap Maredudd was mentioned in the chronicles of the Princes of Wales as a prominent landowner and patron of the arts in Carmarthenshire. She commissioned several works of poetry and is believed to have been a generous patron of the bardic tradition.

During the 15th century, an Aneira ferch Rhys was a notable figure in the Welsh gentry. She was the wife of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, a prominent supporter of the Tudor cause during the Wars of the Roses. Aneira is said to have played a crucial role in rallying support for the future King Henry VII during his exile in Wales.

In the 16th century, Aneira Vaughan was a renowned Welsh poet and one of the few women to be included in the prestigious bardic tradition. She is best known for her cywyddau, a form of Welsh poetry, and her works often celebrated the natural beauty of Wales and its heritage.

Another notable Aneira was Aneira Thomas, a 17th-century Welsh writer and educator. She was one of the first women to publish works in the Welsh language and was a vocal advocate for women's education. Her writings covered a range of topics, including religion, history, and social commentary.

These are just a few examples of individuals named Aneira throughout history, but the name has continued to be used in Wales and by those of Welsh descent over the centuries. While its popularity has fluctuated, Aneira remains a cherished and meaningful name in Welsh culture, reflecting the country's rich linguistic and literary heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Aneira over time

The chart below shows babies named Aneira registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Aneira, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 29 births in 2024, compared with 36 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Aneira
09182736199820112024

Decades

Aneira by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Aneira 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 #1193 141 5
2010s #1818 183 10
2000s #2873 59 8
1990s #3142 4 1

Related

Names similar to Aneira

FAQ

Aneira: questions and answers

How popular is the name Aneira in the UK right now?

In 2024, Aneira was ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales, with 29 births registered.

When was Aneira most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 36 babies registered as Aneira in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Aneira?

A feminine Welsh name meaning "very beautiful" or "fair one".

How many people are called Aneira in the UK?

A total of 387 babies have been registered as Aneira across the 24 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.