NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Irha

A modernized version of the Sanskrit name Iravati meaning "earth" or "river".

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.

Irha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Irha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #429, with 100 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 145 births.

This profile covers 573 England and Wales registrations across 14 recorded years from 2008 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 69% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 599 living people in the UK are called Irha. 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

  • Irha ranked #429 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 100 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2022, when 145 girls were registered as Irha.
  • Irha ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #431 in 2024.
  • About 599 living people in the UK are estimated to have Irha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#429

2024

Births in 2024

100

Latest year

Peak year

2022

145 births

Estimated living

599

2026

Meaning

What does Irha mean?

The name Irha is believed to have originated from the ancient Sanskrit language, which was prevalent in the Indian subcontinent during the Vedic period, dating back to around 1500 BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "irha," which means "to go" or "to move." The name is thought to have been given to individuals who were travelers or explorers.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Irha can be found in the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. The Mahabharata mentions a character named Irha, who was a renowned warrior and a follower of the Pandava prince Arjuna. However, the exact details about this individual are scarce.

In the 5th century BCE, there was a philosopher and scholar named Irha, who made significant contributions to the field of logic and epistemology. He is said to have authored several treatises on the nature of knowledge and the pursuit of truth. Unfortunately, not much is known about his life or his specific works, as many historical records from that era have been lost or incomplete.

During the Gupta Empire, which ruled over a large part of the Indian subcontinent from the 4th to the 6th century CE, there was a renowned poet and playwright named Irha. He is credited with writing several plays and poetry collections, although only a few fragments of his works have survived to modern times.

In the 12th century, there was a renowned physician and scholar named Irha, who hailed from the city of Jaunpur in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India. He is known for his contributions to the field of Ayurvedic medicine and is said to have written a comprehensive treatise on the subject.

Another notable individual with the name Irha was a 16th-century explorer and adventurer from the region of present-day Rajasthan, India. He is said to have undertaken several expeditions across the Indian subcontinent and beyond, documenting his travels and encounters with various cultures and civilizations.

While the name Irha may not be as widely known or used today, it holds a rich historical significance, particularly in the context of ancient Indian culture and literature. The name's association with travel, exploration, and the pursuit of knowledge reflects the inquisitive and adventurous spirit of those who bore it throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Irha over time

The chart below shows babies named Irha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 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 Irha, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 100 births in 2024, compared with 145 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Irha
03673109145200820162024

Decades

Irha by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Irha 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 #474 467 5
2010s #2729 102 8
2000s #4524 4 1

Geography

Where Irha is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Irha. 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.

Irha ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #431 in 2024.

Scotland
7

Across the UK

Irha in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#431 in 2024

5 years of NRS records, 28 total registered

Related

Names similar to Irha

FAQ

Irha: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Irha was ranked #429 for girls in England and Wales, with 100 births registered.

When was Irha most popular?

The peak year on record was 2022, with 145 babies registered as Irha in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Irha?

A modernized version of the Sanskrit name Iravati meaning "earth" or "river".

How many people are called Irha in the UK?

A total of 573 babies have been registered as Irha across the 14 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 28 more in Scotland.

Where is Irha most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Irha ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #431 in 2024. 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.