NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Dhiya

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "radiant light".

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.

Dhiya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Dhiya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 14 births.

This profile covers 180 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 2003 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 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 179 living people in the UK are called Dhiya. 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

  • Dhiya ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2016, when 14 girls were registered as Dhiya.
  • About 179 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dhiya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2574

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

2016

14 births

Estimated living

179

2026

Meaning

What does Dhiya mean?

The name Dhiya is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the Arabic word "diya," which means "light" or "radiance." The name is commonly found among Arabic-speaking populations in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dhiya can be found in historical Islamic texts and records dating back to the 7th century. It was during this time that the religion of Islam was spreading across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The name Dhiya may have been given to individuals as a reminder of the importance of knowledge and enlightenment in Islamic teachings.

In the 9th century, there was a famous Arabic poet and scholar named Dhiya al-Din al-Nuwayri, who lived from 1279 to 1333. He was known for his contributions to literature and his extensive writings on various subjects, including history, geography, and Islamic law.

Another notable figure with the name Dhiya was Dhiya al-Din al-Maqdisi, a 12th-century Islamic scholar and mathematician from Jerusalem. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the study of algebra and geometry.

During the 13th century, there was a prominent Muslim ruler named Dhiya al-Din al-Zahir Baybars, who served as the Mamluk Sultan of Egypt and Syria from 1260 to 1277. He is remembered for his military prowess and his efforts to strengthen the Mamluk dynasty.

In more recent history, Dhiya Bari was an Indian poet and writer who lived from 1901 to 1971. He was known for his contributions to Urdu literature and was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India in recognition of his literary works.

Dhiya Chaudhry is a contemporary Indian actress and model who has appeared in several Bollywood films and television shows. She was born in 1983 and continues to work in the Indian entertainment industry.

Throughout its history, the name Dhiya has carried a significant meaning and has been associated with individuals who have made notable contributions to various fields, including literature, academia, and leadership.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Dhiya over time

The chart below shows babies named Dhiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 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 Dhiya, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 14 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Dhiya
0471114200320132024

Decades

Dhiya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dhiya 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 #3089 40 5
2010s #2426 105 10
2000s #3376 35 6

Related

Names similar to Dhiya

FAQ

Dhiya: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Dhiya was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Dhiya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2016, with 14 babies registered as Dhiya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Dhiya?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "radiant light".

How many people are called Dhiya in the UK?

A total of 180 babies have been registered as Dhiya across the 21 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.