NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Ayda

A feminine Arabic name meaning "Return or visitor".

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.

Ayda is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ayda popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #252, with 192 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 344 births.

This profile covers 2,312 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 1999 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.

The latest count is about 56% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 2,785 living people in the UK are called Ayda. 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

  • Ayda ranked #252 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 192 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 344 girls were registered as Ayda.
  • Ayda ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #157 in 2024.
  • About 2,785 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ayda as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#252

2024

Births in 2024

192

Latest year

Peak year

2020

344 births

Estimated living

2,785

2026

Meaning

What does Ayda mean?

The name Ayda is believed to have originated from the Turkish language, with its roots tracing back to the Ottoman Empire and the broader Turkic culture. It is derived from the word "ay," which means "moon" or "month" in Turkish. This celestial connection suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon children born during a significant lunar phase or a particular month.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ayda can be found in the Ottoman Empire's historical records, dating back to the 16th century. During this period, the name was often given to girls born into influential families or those with ties to the ruling class. The name's association with the moon and its celestial symbolism may have held particular significance in the Islamic tradition, which often incorporates references to celestial bodies and natural phenomena.

In the realm of literature, the name Ayda appears in several works of Ottoman poetry and prose. Notably, the 17th-century Ottoman poet Nev'i efendi mentioned a woman named Ayda in one of his celebrated ghazals, highlighting the name's prevalence and cultural significance during that era.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Ayda. One of the earliest recorded instances is Ayda Hanim (1846-1912), a Turkish painter and one of the first female artists to gain recognition in the Ottoman Empire. Her works, which often depicted traditional Ottoman life and culture, are now housed in various museums and galleries across Turkey.

Another prominent figure was Ayda Inandi (1943-2015), a Turkish classical music singer and actress. She gained widespread acclaim for her performances in numerous operas and theater productions, and her contributions to preserving and promoting traditional Turkish music were widely celebrated.

In the realm of politics, Ayda Neyzi (1900-1986) was a Turkish diplomat and the first female ambassador appointed by the Republic of Turkey. She served as the Turkish ambassador to Sweden and Denmark, paving the way for women's greater involvement in diplomatic circles.

The name Ayda also gained international recognition through the life of Ayda Jebat (1920-2003), a Malaysian actress and dancer who was renowned for her performances in traditional Malay dance and theater. Her artistic achievements earned her numerous accolades and honors, including the prestigious Panglima Gemilang Darjah Kinabalu award from the Malaysian government.

Lastly, Ayda Mosharraf (born 1983) is a contemporary Iranian-American actress and model. She has appeared in various television shows and films, including "Ballers" and "The Catch," garnering recognition for her talents and contributions to the entertainment industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ayda over time

The chart below shows babies named Ayda registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 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 Ayda, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 192 births in 2024, compared with 344 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Ayda
086172258344199920112024

Decades

Ayda by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ayda 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 #202 1,269 5
2010s #605 1,024 10
2000s #1837 14 1
1990s #2770 5 1

Geography

Where Ayda is most common

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

Ayda ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #157 in 2024.

Scotland
27
Northern Ireland
11

Across the UK

Ayda in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#157 in 2024

15 years of NRS records, 327 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#169 in 2024

11 years of NISRA records, 158 total registered

Related

Names similar to Ayda

FAQ

Ayda: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Ayda was ranked #252 for girls in England and Wales, with 192 births registered.

When was Ayda most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 344 babies registered as Ayda in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ayda?

A feminine Arabic name meaning "Return or visitor".

How many people are called Ayda in the UK?

A total of 2,312 babies have been registered as Ayda across the 17 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 327 more in Scotland and 158 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Ayda most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ayda ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #157 in 2024. 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.