UK name, mostly girls
Kanya
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "young woman" or "virgin maiden".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 3 boys.
Kanya is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Kanya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5730, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2009 to 2015. 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 Kanya. 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 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kanya ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 3 girls were registered as Kanya.
- • Kanya is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kanya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 66.7% of Kanya registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5730
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kanya
In England and Wales birth records, Kanya has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 33.3% of registrations are for boys and 66.7% 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.
Kanya registered for boys
- Ranked #4,052 in 2006
- 3 boys registered in 2006
- Peak: 2006 (3 births)
Kanya registered for girls
- Ranked #5,730 in 2015
- 3 girls registered in 2015
- Peak: 2009 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Kanya mean?
The name Kanya has its origins in Sanskrit, one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages of the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "kanya," which means "young woman," "maiden," or "virgin." The name has been in use for thousands of years and is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and culture.
In Hinduism, Kanya is the name of the sixth astrological sign, corresponding to the constellation Virgo. The name is associated with purity, innocence, and fertility. In ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas and Puranas, Kanya is often used as a symbolic representation of the divine feminine principle.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kanya can be found in the Rigveda, one of the oldest and most revered Hindu scriptures, dating back to around 1500 BCE. The name appears in several hymns and verses, often in the context of rituals and prayers.
Throughout history, there have been several notable women who bore the name Kanya. One of the most famous was Kanya Kumari, a Hindu mystic and saint who lived in the 16th century CE. She is revered as an embodiment of divine wisdom and is believed to have attained spiritual enlightenment at a young age.
Another notable Kanya was Kanya Devi, a Hindu goddess associated with fertility, prosperity, and abundance. She is believed to have been worshipped in ancient times and is still revered in various parts of India today.
In the realm of literature, Kanya Upanishad is an ancient Hindu scripture that explores the concept of the divine feminine and the union of the individual soul with the Supreme Being. The text is believed to date back to around the 5th century BCE.
Other notable figures with the name Kanya include Kanya Rasi, a 13th-century Indian princess and poet, and Kanya Kumaraswamy, a 20th-century Indian freedom fighter and social reformer.
While the name Kanya has its roots in ancient Hindu culture, it has transcended religious and cultural boundaries over time and is now used by people of various backgrounds and ethnicities around the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kanya over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kanya in England and Wales, from 2006 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kanya, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kanya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kanya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5730 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #5556 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kanya
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kanya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kanya in the UK right now?
In 2015, Kanya was ranked #5730 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kanya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 3 babies registered as Kanya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kanya?
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "young woman" or "virgin maiden".
How many people are called Kanya in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Kanya 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.