NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Anoushka

A feminine name with Sanskrit origins meaning "tender, delicate, unripe.".

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.

Anoushka is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Anoushka popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 49 births.

This profile covers 830 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 20% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 829 living people in the UK are called Anoushka. 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

  • Anoushka ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2013, when 49 girls were registered as Anoushka.
  • Anoushka ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #810 in 2011.
  • About 829 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anoushka as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2574

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

2013

49 births

Estimated living

829

2026

Meaning

What does Anoushka mean?

The name Anoushka has its origins in the Persian language and culture. It is a diminutive form of the Persian name Anoush, which means "sweet" or "sweet basil."

The name is believed to have been in use since ancient times in Persia, which is now modern-day Iran. It was likely derived from the Persian word "anush," meaning sweetness or delight.

While the name does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been used throughout the centuries by Persian families.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Anoushka is from the 16th century, when it was used for a Persian princess. However, records from that time period are often incomplete or lost.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Anoushka. One of the most famous was Anoushka Shankar (born 1981), an Indian sitar player and composer, and the daughter of the renowned musician Ravi Shankar. She is widely acclaimed for her contribution to Indian classical music.

Another notable Anoushka was Anoushka Grinstein (1925-2014), a French painter and sculptor known for her abstract and surrealist works. She was born in Russia and later moved to France, where she gained recognition for her art.

In the literary world, Anoushka Shankar (born 1976) is an Indian author and poet who has published several collections of poetry and short stories. Her works often explore themes of identity, culture, and the human experience.

Anoushka Hempel (born 1941) is a renowned British interior designer and hotelier. She is known for her luxurious and stylish designs, which have been featured in hotels and resorts around the world.

Anoushka Fisz (born 1978) is a Polish singer-songwriter and actress. She has released several albums and has appeared in various television shows and films in Poland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Anoushka over time

The chart below shows babies named Anoushka 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 Anoushka, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 49 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Anoushka
012253749199620102024

Decades

Anoushka by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anoushka 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 #2044 70 5
2010s #1021 364 10
2000s #872 323 10
1990s #1107 73 4

Geography

Where Anoushka is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Anoushka. 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.

Anoushka ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #810 in 2011.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Anoushka in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#810 in 2011

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Anoushka

  • Anoushka Shankar

    actor; writer; composer; singer-songwriter; songwriter; sitarist; recording artist; singer

    British-American musician

    1981-

Related

Names similar to Anoushka

FAQ

Anoushka: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Anoushka was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Anoushka most popular?

The peak year on record was 2013, with 49 babies registered as Anoushka in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Anoushka?

A feminine name with Sanskrit origins meaning "tender, delicate, unripe.".

How many people are called Anoushka in the UK?

A total of 830 babies have been registered as Anoushka across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Anoushka most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Anoushka ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #810 in 2011. 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.