UK girl's name
Athira
A feminine name of Indian origin meaning "precious" or "valuable".
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.
Athira is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Athira popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3015, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 10 births.
This profile covers 51 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2011 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 51 living people in the UK are called Athira. 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
- • Athira ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 8 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 10 girls were registered as Athira.
- • About 51 living people in the UK are estimated to have Athira as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3015
2024
Births in 2024
8
Latest year
Peak year
2020
10 births
Estimated living
51
2026
Meaning
What does Athira mean?
The name Athira has its origins in the Sanskrit language, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that is the root of many modern Indian languages. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Athira," which means "boundless" or "limitless." It is believed to have been in use as a given name since the ancient Vedic period, which spans from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
Athira is a name that has been mentioned in various Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Puranas and the Vedas. It is often associated with the concept of infinity and the boundless nature of the universe. In some Hindu traditions, Athira is also considered to be a name of the goddess Lakshmi, who represents wealth, prosperity, and fortune.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Athira can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. In this epic, Athira is mentioned as the name of a princess who was renowned for her beauty and wisdom. Another notable historical figure with the name Athira was a Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 7th century CE. She is known for her contributions to the field of Sanskrit literature and her expertise in the Vedas.
In the 10th century CE, there was an Indian mathematician and astronomer named Athira Bhatta, who made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and astronomy. He is credited with developing a method for calculating the circumference of a circle, which is still used today.
During the 16th century, there was a famous Indian painter named Athira Ravi Varma, who is considered to be one of the greatest artists of the Renaissance period in Indian art. His paintings, which depicted scenes from Hindu mythology and Indian culture, are renowned for their vivid colors and intricate details.
Another notable figure with the name Athira was an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who lived in the 19th century. Athira Bai Holkar was a member of the Holkar dynasty and played a crucial role in the Indian independence movement against British rule.
While the name Athira has its roots in ancient Sanskrit and Hindu traditions, it has since been adopted by various cultures and communities around the world, each with their own interpretations and associations with the name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Athira over time
The chart below shows babies named Athira registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2011 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 Athira, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Athira by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Athira 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 | #2988 | 32 | 4 |
| 2010s | #5040 | 19 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Athira
- 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
Athira: questions and answers
How popular is the name Athira in the UK right now?
In 2024, Athira was ranked #3015 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.
When was Athira most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 10 babies registered as Athira in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Athira?
A feminine name of Indian origin meaning "precious" or "valuable".
How many people are called Athira in the UK?
A total of 51 babies have been registered as Athira across the 9 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.