UK girl's name
Bani
A Hindu feminine name denoting beauty, grace, and speech.
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.
Bani is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Bani popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1353, with 24 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 24 births.
This profile covers 146 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 2009 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.
Bani is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 145 living people in the UK are called Bani. 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
- • Bani ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 24 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 24 girls were registered as Bani.
- • About 145 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bani as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1353
2024
Births in 2024
24
Latest year
Peak year
2024
24 births
Estimated living
145
2026
Meaning
What does Bani mean?
The name Bani has its origins in the Sanskrit language and is derived from the word "vani," which means "speech" or "voice." It is believed to have been used in ancient India as early as the 5th century BCE.
In Hindu mythology, Vani is considered the goddess of speech, language, and learning. She is often depicted as a beautiful woman holding a book or a pen, symbolizing her role as the patron of scholars and writers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bani can be found in the Rig Veda, one of the oldest and most revered Hindu scriptures. It is mentioned in several hymns and verses, often referring to the divine speech or the poetic expression.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Bani. One of the most famous was Bani Das, a 16th-century Indian poet and saint from the Bhakti movement. He composed numerous devotional songs and poems dedicated to Lord Krishna.
Another prominent figure was Bani Thani, a 17th-century Indian philosopher and writer who authored several works on Vedanta and Advaita Vedanta philosophy. His writings had a significant influence on the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the 18th century, Bani Singh was a renowned Rajput warrior and ruler of the princely state of Jaisalmer in present-day Rajasthan, India. He is remembered for his bravery and military exploits in defending his kingdom against invaders.
In more recent times, Bani Aidid was a Somali military leader and revolutionary who played a significant role in the Somali Civil War in the 1990s. He led a faction of the Somali National Alliance and was involved in several conflicts with United Nations peacekeeping forces.
Bani Walid was a prominent figure in the 7th century Arab world. He was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and played a crucial role in the early spread of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Bani over time
The chart below shows babies named Bani registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2009 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 Bani, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 24 births in 2024, compared with 24 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bani by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bani 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 | #2074 | 73 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3373 | 70 | 8 |
| 2000s | #5556 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Bani
- Bethany 43,226
- Brooke 18,370
- Bella 14,112
- Bonnie 12,149
- Beatrice 11,306
- Bethan 7,968
- Beth 6,440
- Betsy 5,065
- Beatrix 4,317
- Billie 4,220
- Beau 3,231
- Bryony 3,167
FAQ
Bani: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bani in the UK right now?
In 2024, Bani was ranked #1353 for girls in England and Wales, with 24 births registered.
When was Bani most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 24 babies registered as Bani in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bani?
A Hindu feminine name denoting beauty, grace, and speech.
How many people are called Bani in the UK?
A total of 146 babies have been registered as Bani across the 14 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.