UK girl's name
Anha
A Persian name meaning "the one who is desirous" or "passionate".
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.
Anha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Anha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 5 births.
This profile covers 15 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2016 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 15 living people in the UK are called Anha. 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
- • Anha ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 5 girls were registered as Anha.
- • About 15 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2022
5 births
Estimated living
15
2026
Meaning
What does Anha mean?
The name Anha traces its origins to the ancient Sanskrit language of India, dating back to around the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the word "anhah," which means "day" or "daylight." The name is believed to have symbolic associations with the sun, brightness, and radiance.
In the Hindu tradition, the name Anha is sometimes associated with the god Surya, the deity of the sun. Ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and Puranas, contain references to individuals bearing this name or variations of it.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Anha can be found in the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic. It is mentioned as the name of a minor character, a warrior in the army of the Pandavas.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Anha. One example is Anha Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), a prominent Sikh ruler who established the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century. His reign was marked by military conquests and territorial expansion.
Another historical figure with this name was Anha Bhavani Devi (1905-1996), an Indian freedom fighter and social activist. She participated in the Indian independence movement against British rule and later worked towards promoting education and women's empowerment.
In the realm of literature, Anha Devi (1904-1957) was a renowned Hindi poet and writer from India. Her works explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition. She is considered a significant figure in the Chhayavad literary movement.
The name Anha also has a connection to the Buddhist tradition. Anha Shanti (1922-1997) was a Buddhist monk and scholar from Sri Lanka. He played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the Theravada Buddhist teachings and was known for his expertise in the Pali language and Buddhist scriptures.
Lastly, Anha Radhika (1950-2021) was an accomplished classical Indian dancer and choreographer. She was widely acclaimed for her contributions to the Bharatanatyam dance form and her efforts in preserving and promoting Indian cultural heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Anha over time
The chart below shows babies named Anha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 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 Anha, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anha 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 | #5147 | 11 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4763 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Anha
- 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
Anha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Anha in the UK right now?
In 2024, Anha was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Anha most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 5 babies registered as Anha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Anha?
A Persian name meaning "the one who is desirous" or "passionate".
How many people are called Anha in the UK?
A total of 15 babies have been registered as Anha across the 4 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.