UK name, mostly girls
Indiana
A feminine name derived from the word "Indian", referring to the Native Americans.
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.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 423 boys.
Indiana is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Indiana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #625, with 62 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 93 births.
This profile covers 1,329 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 1,359 living people in the UK are called Indiana. 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
- • Indiana ranked #625 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 62 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 93 girls were registered as Indiana.
- • Indiana ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #792 in 2021.
- • Indiana is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 1,359 living people in the UK are estimated to have Indiana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 75.9% of Indiana registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#625
2024
Births in 2024
62
Latest year
Peak year
2019
93 births
Estimated living
1,359
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Indiana
In England and Wales birth records, Indiana has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 24.1% of registrations are for boys and 75.9% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Indiana registered for boys
- Ranked #1,675 in 2024
- 15 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2015 (29 births)
Indiana registered for girls
- Ranked #625 in 2024
- 62 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2019 (93 births)
Meaning
What does Indiana mean?
The name Indiana has its roots in the Native American languages spoken by the indigenous tribes of the present-day United States. It is believed to derive from the word "Innu" used by the Algonquin tribes, which means "human being" or "man." The name was adopted by English settlers in the 17th century and gained popularity in the United States after the establishment of the state of Indiana in 1816.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Indiana can be found in the writings of the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, who traveled through the region in the late 17th century. In his journals, he referred to the native inhabitants as "Indianas," a term that later evolved into the name of the state.
Throughout history, the name Indiana has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Indiana Jones, the fictional archaeologist and adventurer created by George Lucas and portrayed by Harrison Ford in the popular film series of the same name. The first Indiana Jones movie, "Raiders of the Lost Ark," was released in 1981 and became a cultural phenomenon.
Another famous Indiana was Indiana Woodward, an American actress and singer who was born in 1932. She was best known for her roles in Broadway musicals and appeared in several films throughout her career.
In the world of literature, Indiana Maria Ramona Esperanza Mendiola y Acuña, better known as Indiana Massara, was a Spanish writer and poet who lived in the late 19th century. Her works explored themes of feminism and social justice.
The name Indiana has also been associated with notable figures in politics and activism. Indiana Fletcher Williams, born in 1837, was an American abolitionist and women's rights advocate who fought for the abolition of slavery and the right to vote for women.
Indiana Karan, born in 1958, is an Indian social worker and activist who has dedicated her life to advocating for the rights of marginalized communities, particularly women and children in rural areas.
These are just a few examples of the individuals who have carried the name Indiana throughout history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of human experience.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Indiana over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Indiana in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Indiana, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 62 births in 2024, compared with 93 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Indiana by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Indiana 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 | #622 | 319 | 5 |
| 2010s | #601 | 708 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1109 | 250 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1498 | 52 | 4 |
Geography
Where Indiana is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Indiana. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Indiana ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #792 in 2021.
Across the UK
Indiana in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#792 in 2021
10 years of NRS records, 37 total registered
Related
Names similar to Indiana
- 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
Indiana: questions and answers
How popular is the name Indiana in the UK right now?
In 2024, Indiana was ranked #625 for girls in England and Wales, with 62 births registered.
When was Indiana most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 93 babies registered as Indiana in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Indiana?
A feminine name derived from the word "Indian", referring to the Native Americans.
How many people are called Indiana in the UK?
A total of 1,329 babies have been registered as Indiana across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 37 more in Scotland.
Where is Indiana most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Indiana ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #792 in 2021. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.