NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Araya

A name of Arabic origin meaning "valor" or "courage".

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.

Araya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Araya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #751, with 50 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 50 births.

This profile covers 423 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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.

Araya is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 432 living people in the UK are called Araya. 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

  • Araya ranked #751 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 50 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 50 girls were registered as Araya.
  • Araya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #336 in 2019.
  • About 432 living people in the UK are estimated to have Araya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#751

2024

Births in 2024

50

Latest year

Peak year

2024

50 births

Estimated living

432

2026

Meaning

What does Araya mean?

The name Araya is believed to have its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was once widely spoken in the Indian subcontinent. The name is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "arya," which means "noble" or "honorable." This suggests that the name Araya likely carried connotations of nobility and respect in its earliest usage.

In ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and Upanishads, the term "arya" was used to refer to the Indo-Aryan people who inhabited the Indian subcontinent. It was also employed as a term of respect and reverence for those deemed worthy or virtuous. While the name Araya itself does not appear to be directly mentioned in these ancient texts, its linguistic roots can be traced back to this Sanskrit origin.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Araya can be found in the historical records of the Maurya Empire, which ruled over large parts of the Indian subcontinent from around 322 BCE to 185 BCE. During this period, Araya was a relatively common name among members of the ruling class and nobility.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Araya. One such figure was Araya Vikhatu, a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 5th century CE during the Gupta Empire. His works on philosophy and literature were highly regarded in his time and continue to be studied by scholars today.

Another individual of note was Araya Narayana, a revered Hindu saint and mystic who lived in the 12th century CE. He is credited with founding the Arya Samaj movement, which sought to revive and promote the teachings of the Vedas and Upanishads.

In more recent times, Araya Ismail was a prominent political activist and leader in the Malaysian independence movement of the 20th century. He played a crucial role in advocating for the rights of the Malay people and was instrumental in the nation's struggle for independence from British colonial rule.

Additionally, Araya Virgili was a renowned Italian artist and sculptor who lived in the 16th century. His works, which included sculptures and architectural designs, were highly influential and can still be found adorning many churches and buildings across Italy.

Finally, Araya Rasami was a celebrated Thai poet and writer who lived in the 19th century. His poetry, which often explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, is considered a significant contribution to the literary canon of Thailand and continues to be widely read and studied.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Araya over time

The chart below shows babies named Araya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 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 Araya, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 50 births in 2024, compared with 50 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Araya
013253850200420142024

Decades

Araya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Araya 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 #836 217 5
2010s #2107 175 10
2000s #3620 31 6

Geography

Where Araya is most common

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

Araya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #336 in 2019.

Northern Ireland
4
Scotland
3

Across the UK

Araya in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#749 in 2023

2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#336 in 2019

1 years of NISRA records, 4 total registered

Related

Names similar to Araya

FAQ

Araya: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Araya was ranked #751 for girls in England and Wales, with 50 births registered.

When was Araya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 50 babies registered as Araya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Araya?

A name of Arabic origin meaning "valor" or "courage".

How many people are called Araya in the UK?

A total of 423 babies have been registered as Araya across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland and 4 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Araya most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Araya ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #336 in 2019. 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.