NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Anish

Of Sanskrit origin, meaning "priceless, valuable" or "imperishable, eternal".

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.

Anish is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Anish popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2671, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 43 births.

This profile covers 657 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 19% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 652 living people in the UK are called Anish. 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

  • Anish ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2003, when 43 boys were registered as Anish.
  • About 652 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anish as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2671

2024

Births in 2024

8

Latest year

Peak year

2003

43 births

Estimated living

652

2026

Meaning

What does Anish mean?

The name Anish has its roots in the Sanskrit language, which originated in ancient India several thousand years ago. It is derived from the word "anish," which means "blessing" or "grace." The name is believed to have been in use as early as the 5th century BCE, during the time of the Vedic period in Indian history.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Anish can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic that dates back to around the 8th century BCE. In the epic, Anish is mentioned as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandavas in the great battle of Kurukshetra.

Throughout the centuries, the name Anish has been popular among various religious and cultural groups in India, particularly among Hindus and Sikhs. It has also been adopted by some Muslim communities in the region.

One of the most notable historical figures to bear the name Anish was Anish Kapoor, a renowned British-Indian sculptor who was born in 1954. Kapoor is best known for his large-scale public artworks, including the iconic "Cloud Gate" sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park.

Another famous individual with the name Anish was Anish Giri, a Dutch chess grandmaster who was born in 1994. Giri has won numerous international chess tournaments and is considered one of the top players in the world.

In the field of literature, Anish Deb was a notable Bengali writer and poet who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born in 1856 and is renowned for his contributions to the Bengali literary renaissance.

Anish Kapoor, the Indian-American filmmaker and director, was born in 1964 and has directed several critically acclaimed films, including "The Warrior" and "Monsoon Wedding."

Lastly, Anish Nanavati was an Indian cricketer who played domestic cricket for the Saurashtra team in the 1970s and 1980s. He was born in 1954 and is remembered as a skilled all-rounder who contributed significantly to his team's success during his playing career.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Anish over time

The chart below shows babies named Anish registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Anish, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 43 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Anish
011223243199620102024

Decades

Anish by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anish 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 #2574 41 5
2010s #1343 226 10
2000s #806 292 10
1990s #696 98 4

Notable bearers

Famous people named Anish

  • Anish Kapoor

    architect; artist; painter; sculptor; scenographer; visual artist; jewelry designer; draftsperson

    British-Indian artist (born 1954)

    1954-

Related

Names similar to Anish

FAQ

Anish: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Anish was ranked #2671 for boys in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.

When was Anish most popular?

The peak year on record was 2003, with 43 babies registered as Anish in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Anish?

Of Sanskrit origin, meaning "priceless, valuable" or "imperishable, eternal".

How many people are called Anish in the UK?

A total of 657 babies have been registered as Anish across the 29 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.