UK girl's name
Illyria
A feminine name referring to an ancient region in the Balkan Peninsula.
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.
Illyria is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Illyria 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 2022, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2022 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.
Illyria is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Illyria. 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
- • Illyria ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 3 girls were registered as Illyria.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Illyria 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
2022
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Illyria mean?
The name Illyria has its roots in the ancient Illyrian civilization that flourished in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, roughly between the 7th century BC and the 1st century AD. It is derived from the Greek word "Illyrios," referring to the Illyrian tribes that inhabited this region.
The Illyrians were a group of Indo-European people who spoke the Illyrian languages, a branch of the Indo-European language family. Their territory included parts of modern-day Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The name Illyria was used to refer to the region inhabited by these tribes.
In ancient texts, the name Illyria appears in the writings of Greek and Roman historians and geographers, such as Herodotus, Thucydides, Strabo, and Pliny the Elder. They described the Illyrians as fierce warriors and skilled seafarers who frequently clashed with the Greeks and Romans.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Illyria dates back to the 4th century BC when Illyrian Queen Teuta led a rebellion against the Roman Republic. Another notable figure was Agron, the Illyrian king who ruled from around 250 BC to 230 BC and expanded the Illyrian kingdom to its greatest extent.
In the 3rd century BC, the Illyrian kingdom came into conflict with the Roman Republic, leading to the Illyrian Wars. After their defeat, the Illyrians were gradually absorbed into the Roman Empire, and their culture and language were heavily influenced by Roman civilization.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Illyria. One example is Illyria Regis (1592-1675), an English writer and translator who published works on philosophy and religion. Another is Illyria Castriota (1504-1572), an Albanian noblewoman and the last member of the Castriota family, descendants of the famous Albanian leader Skanderbeg.
In literature, the name Illyria appears in William Shakespeare's play "Twelfth Night," where it is the name of a fictional country where part of the play's action takes place. This literary reference contributed to the name's enduring legacy and popularity.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Illyria by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Illyria 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 | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Illyria
- Isabella 58,822
- Isla 51,854
- Isabelle 46,163
- Imogen 33,758
- Ivy 23,306
- Isabel 20,895
- Isobel 19,706
- Iris 10,353
- India 8,371
- Iqra 4,452
- Indie 3,873
- Iona 3,682
FAQ
Illyria: questions and answers
How popular is the name Illyria in the UK right now?
In 2022, Illyria was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Illyria most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 3 babies registered as Illyria in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Illyria?
A feminine name referring to an ancient region in the Balkan Peninsula.
How many people are called Illyria in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Illyria across the 1 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.