UK girl's name
Dunia
A feminine Arabic name meaning "world" or "the present life".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Dunia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Dunia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 4 births.
This profile covers 25 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2004 to 2022. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 25 living people in the UK are called Dunia. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Dunia ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 4 girls were registered as Dunia.
- • About 25 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dunia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2011
4 births
Estimated living
25
2026
Meaning
What does Dunia mean?
The name Dunia originates from the Arabic language, where it means "world" or "universe." It is derived from the Arabic word "dunya," which has its roots in the Semitic languages and is believed to have been in use since ancient times.
In the Islamic tradition, the word "dunya" is often used to refer to the temporal world, as opposed to the eternal hereafter. The name Dunia carries a connotation of vastness and expansiveness, reflecting the vastness of the world or the universe.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Dunia can be found in the 13th century, in the work of the renowned Persian poet and scholar, Rumi. In his famous poetic masterpiece, the "Masnavi," Rumi uses the word "dunya" to symbolize the material world and its transient nature.
Throughout history, the name Dunia has been carried by several notable figures. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Dunia al-Watawat, a 9th-century Abbasid princess and poet from Baghdad. Her poetry is considered a significant contribution to the Arabic literary tradition.
In the 14th century, Dunia Sundari was a renowned Indian courtesan and poetess who lived during the Delhi Sultanate. Her poetry, written in Persian, is celebrated for its depth and beauty.
Another notable bearer of the name was Dunia Buhur, a 16th-century Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Selim II. She is remembered for her patronage of the arts and her influence in the Ottoman court.
In more recent times, Dunia Shuaib was a prominent Sudanese writer and activist who lived from 1934 to 2010. Her works addressed issues of gender inequality and social justice, earning her recognition as a pioneering voice in Sudanese literature.
Dunia Batma, born in 1949, is a renowned Moroccan singer and actress. She has made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Moroccan cultural heritage through her music and acting performances.
While these are just a few examples, the name Dunia has been carried by individuals from various cultural backgrounds and historical periods, reflecting its timeless and universal appeal.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Dunia over time
The chart below shows babies named Dunia registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Dunia, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Dunia by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dunia 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 | #5581 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #5544 | 16 | 5 |
| 2000s | #4598 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Dunia
- 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
Dunia: questions and answers
How popular is the name Dunia in the UK right now?
In 2022, Dunia was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Dunia most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 4 babies registered as Dunia in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Dunia?
A feminine Arabic name meaning "world" or "the present life".
How many people are called Dunia in the UK?
A total of 25 babies have been registered as Dunia across the 8 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.