UK boy's name
Arda
An ancient Persian name meaning "precious gem".
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.
Arda is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arda popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1758, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 94 births.
This profile covers 668 England and Wales registrations across 26 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 15% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 670 living people in the UK are called Arda. 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
- • Arda ranked #1758 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 14 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 94 boys were registered as Arda.
- • Arda ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #680 in 2014.
- • About 670 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arda as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1758
2024
Births in 2024
14
Latest year
Peak year
2006
94 births
Estimated living
670
2026
Meaning
What does Arda mean?
The name Arda has its origins in the Sindarin language, a fictional Elvish language created by J.R.R. Tolkien for his legendary novel The Lord of the Rings. It is derived from the Sindarin word "ard" meaning "realm" or "region." In Tolkien's world, Arda is the name given to the entire world, encompassing the continents of Middle-earth, Aman, and the surrounding seas.
The name Arda gained widespread recognition and popularity after the publication of Tolkien's iconic work in the mid-20th century. While it is not a traditional name found in any particular culture or language, it has been adopted by some fans of Tolkien's literature as a unique and meaningful choice for their children.
One of the earliest recorded uses of Arda as a given name can be found in the records of the British Royal Air Force during World War II. Arda Pegler, born in 1920, served as a pilot in the RAF and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for her exceptional service.
Another notable bearer of the name is Arda Mandikian, an Armenian-American photojournalist born in 1945. She is renowned for her coverage of various conflicts and humanitarian crises around the world, including the Vietnam War and the Armenian Genocide.
In the field of literature, Arda Arikan is a Turkish author and translator born in 1974. She has gained recognition for her work in translating novels from English into Turkish and for her own literary contributions.
Arda Turan, born in 1987, is a Turkish professional footballer who has played for various clubs, including Barcelona and the Turkish national team. He is considered one of the most talented and successful Turkish footballers of his generation.
Arda Ocal, born in 1984, is a Canadian sports journalist and broadcaster. He is well-known for his work as a host and commentator for various wrestling and sports entertainment programs, including those produced by WWE and TSN.
While the name Arda may not have a long historical lineage, it has gained a unique place in popular culture thanks to its association with Tolkien's legendary works. Its meaning and connection to the concept of a vast and wondrous world have resonated with many, leading to its adoption as a given name in various parts of the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arda over time
The chart below shows babies named Arda 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 Arda, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2024, compared with 94 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arda by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arda 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 | #1812 | 69 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1419 | 203 | 10 |
| 2000s | #915 | 390 | 9 |
| 1990s | #2861 | 6 | 2 |
Geography
Where Arda is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Arda. 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.
Arda ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #680 in 2014.
Across the UK
Arda in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#680 in 2014
2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered
Related
Names similar to Arda
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Arda: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arda in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arda was ranked #1758 for boys in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.
When was Arda most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 94 babies registered as Arda in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arda?
An ancient Persian name meaning "precious gem".
How many people are called Arda in the UK?
A total of 668 babies have been registered as Arda across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland.
Where is Arda most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Arda ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #680 in 2014. 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.