UK girl's name
Dela
A feminine Spanish name derived from the contraction "de la".
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.
Dela is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Dela popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 9 births.
This profile covers 35 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2014 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 35 living people in the UK are called Dela. 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
- • Dela ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 9 girls were registered as Dela.
- • About 35 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dela as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3695
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2022
9 births
Estimated living
35
2026
Meaning
What does Dela mean?
The name Dela has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-European languages spoken on the Indian subcontinent. Dela is derived from the Sanskrit word "deva," which means "divine" or "god." The name is believed to have been in use as early as the 3rd century BCE.
In ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, the word "deva" is often used to refer to deities or celestial beings. The name Dela was likely given to children with the intention of bestowing divine qualities or blessings upon them. It was a popular name among the Brahmin caste in ancient India.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dela can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic poem dating back to the 8th century BCE. The Mahabharata mentions a character named Dela, who was a prince and son of King Virata.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Dela. One of the most famous was Dela Goswami (1484-1568), a prominent Gaudiya Vaishnava saint and spiritual leader in 16th-century Bengal. He was a close associate of the renowned Hindu theologian and reformer, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Another historical figure named Dela was Dela Khan (1592-1659), a Mughal nobleman and military commander who served under the Mughal emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan. He played a crucial role in the Mughal campaigns against the Persians and the Marathas.
In the 18th century, Dela Ram (1718-1789) was a renowned Indian poet and writer from the state of Rajasthan. He is best known for his work "Dela Ram Kavya," which is a collection of poems and literary works.
Dela Upasika (1892-1982) was a Theravada Buddhist nun and scholar from Sri Lanka. She was instrumental in reviving the Bhikkhuni (female monastic) order in Sri Lanka and was also a prominent advocate for gender equality within Buddhist traditions.
Dela Sacheva (1919-2008) was a distinguished Indian scientist and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of aeronautics. He served as the Director of the Indian Institute of Science and played a pivotal role in the development of India's aerospace industry.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Dela over time
The chart below shows babies named Dela registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 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 Dela, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dela by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dela 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 | #3792 | 25 | 4 |
| 2010s | #5314 | 10 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Dela
- Daisy 49,435
- Danielle 13,507
- Darcie 11,010
- Darcy 10,516
- Darcey 9,708
- Delilah 9,098
- Demi 9,052
- Daniella 4,324
- Destiny 3,732
- Diana 3,258
- Dorothy 3,104
- Dolly 2,246
FAQ
Dela: questions and answers
How popular is the name Dela in the UK right now?
In 2024, Dela was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Dela most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 9 babies registered as Dela in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Dela?
A feminine Spanish name derived from the contraction "de la".
How many people are called Dela in the UK?
A total of 35 babies have been registered as Dela across the 7 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.