NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Kama

A Sanskrit word representing love, desire, or pleasure.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2001. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Kama is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kama popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2001 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3998, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1998 to 2001. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Kama. 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 2002 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Kama ranked #3998 for girls in England and Wales in 2001, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1998, when 3 girls were registered as Kama.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kama as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3998

2001

Births in 2001

3

Latest year

Peak year

1998

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Kama mean?

The name Kama has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient language of India dating back several millennia. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Kama," meaning desire, love, or lust. The name is closely tied to the Hindu god of love and desire, also known as Kamadeva or Madana.

Kama is mentioned extensively in ancient Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas, Puranas, and the epic Mahabharata. In the Vedic tradition, Kama is personified as a powerful deity responsible for human desire and passion. The Atharva Veda, one of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism, contains hymns dedicated to Kama.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kama can be found in the renowned ancient Indian treatise on love and relationships, the Kama Sutra, written by the sage Vatsyayana in the 3rd century CE. The text explores various aspects of human desire, sexuality, and the pursuit of pleasure.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Kama. One of the most famous was Kama Sutra, the Indian philosopher and Sanskrit scholar who authored the eponymous text on love and relationships in the 7th century CE.

Another prominent historical figure named Kama was Kama Rana, a 12th-century Hindu king of the Ghurid dynasty, who ruled over parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was known for his military prowess and involvement in the defense against the Mongol invasions.

In the realm of Indian literature, Kama Jayanti was a renowned 16th-century Bengali poet and author, celebrated for her contributions to the Vaishnava devotional poetry tradition.

Kama Lochana, born in the 18th century, was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and commentator from the Indian state of Odisha, known for her extensive works on Hindu scriptures and philosophical texts.

In more recent times, Kama Sastry (1892-1953) was an influential Indian artist and painter from the Bengal Renaissance movement, renowned for his vibrant depictions of Hindu mythology and traditional Indian themes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kama over time

The chart below shows babies named Kama registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2001. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kama, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2001, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kama
01223199819992001

Decades

Kama by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kama 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
2000s #3998 3 1
1990s #3848 3 1

Related

Names similar to Kama

FAQ

Kama: questions and answers

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

In 2001, Kama was ranked #3998 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Kama most popular?

The peak year on record was 1998, with 3 babies registered as Kama in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kama?

A Sanskrit word representing love, desire, or pleasure.

How many people are called Kama in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Kama across the 2 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.