NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Ayse

A feminine Turkish name derived from Arabic, meaning "life-giver" or "she who lives".

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.

Ayse is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Ayse popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2253, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 36 births.

This profile covers 646 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 645 living people in the UK are called Ayse. 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

  • Ayse ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 36 girls were registered as Ayse.
  • Ayse ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.
  • About 645 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ayse as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2253

2024

Births in 2024

12

Latest year

Peak year

2008

36 births

Estimated living

645

2026

Meaning

What does Ayse mean?

The given name Ayse originated from the Turkish language and culture. It is a variation of the Arabic name Aisha, which means "alive" or "life-giving." The name Ayse has been in use since the early days of Islam and has deep roots in Turkish and Ottoman history.

Ayse was a common name among the Ottoman sultans' wives and daughters. One of the most famous historical figures with this name was Ayse Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Murad III, who lived from 1608 to 1675. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her generous support of charitable causes.

Another notable Ayse was Ayse Hafsa Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Ahmed I, who lived from 1611 to 1694. She was an influential figure in the Ottoman court and played a significant role in the succession of her brother, Mehmed IV, to the throne.

In the realm of literature, Ayse is also the name of a character in the famous Turkish novel "The Forty Steps" by Orhan Pamuk, which was published in 1984. The novel explores themes of love, identity, and the complexities of modern Turkish society.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ayse dates back to the 11th century, when it was mentioned in the writings of the famous Persian poet and scholar, Ferdowsi. In his epic poem, the Shahnameh, he refers to a character named Ayse who was known for her wisdom and virtue.

Another historical figure with the name Ayse was Ayse Numan, a Turkish painter and calligrapher who lived from 1758 to 1840. She was renowned for her intricate and beautiful works of art, which combined traditional Islamic calligraphy with intricate floral designs.

Throughout history, the name Ayse has been associated with strength, resilience, and a deep connection to Turkish and Islamic culture. Its enduring popularity and historical significance make it a beloved and meaningful name in the Turkish-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Ayse over time

The chart below shows babies named Ayse 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 Ayse, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 36 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Ayse
09182736199620102024

Decades

Ayse by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ayse 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 #2012 70 5
2010s #1520 212 10
2000s #991 265 10
1990s #889 99 4

Geography

Where Ayse is most common

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

Ayse ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #798 in 2016.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Ayse in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#798 in 2016

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Related

Names similar to Ayse

FAQ

Ayse: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Ayse was ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.

When was Ayse most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 36 babies registered as Ayse in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Ayse?

A feminine Turkish name derived from Arabic, meaning "life-giver" or "she who lives".

How many people are called Ayse in the UK?

A total of 646 babies have been registered as Ayse across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Ayse most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Ayse ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #798 in 2016. 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.