UK boy's name
Kartikeya
A Hindu warrior deity, son of Shiva and Parvati.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kartikeya is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kartikeya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2023 to 2023. 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.
Kartikeya is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Kartikeya. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kartikeya ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 3 boys were registered as Kartikeya.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kartikeya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2023
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Kartikeya mean?
The name Kartikeya is of Hindu origin and is derived from the Sanskrit words "Krati" meaning ritual or sacrifice, and "Keya" meaning a body or form. It is one of the names of the Hindu god Murugan, who is also known as Skanda or Subrahmanya.
In Hindu mythology, Kartikeya is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, and is revered as the deity of war, protection, and wisdom. The name is believed to have originated in the ancient Vedic period, which dates back to around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE, and is mentioned in several Hindu scriptures, including the Puranas and the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Kartikeya can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic composed between the 8th and 9th centuries BCE. In the epic, Kartikeya is depicted as a skilled warrior and leader of the divine army.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kartikeya. One of the earliest recorded instances is Kartikeya I (590-628 CE), a king of the Chalukya dynasty who ruled over parts of present-day Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in South India.
Another notable figure with the name Kartikeya was Kartikeya II (1022-1054 CE), a ruler of the Western Chalukya Empire, who is known for his patronage of art and architecture, including the construction of the famous Virupaksha Temple in Pattadakal.
In the field of literature, Kartikeya Upadhyaya (1564-1652 CE) was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet from Bengal, who authored several works on grammar, poetics, and philosophy.
Kartikeya Singh (1897-1964 CE) was an Indian freedom fighter and politician who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement against British rule. He served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1949 to 1951.
Kartikeya Sarabhai (1918-2020 CE) was an Indian scientist and industrialist, who is credited with establishing the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, one of the leading space research centers in India.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Kartikeya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kartikeya 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 | #4991 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kartikeya
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kartikeya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kartikeya in the UK right now?
In 2023, Kartikeya was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kartikeya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 3 babies registered as Kartikeya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kartikeya?
A Hindu warrior deity, son of Shiva and Parvati.
How many people are called Kartikeya in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Kartikeya 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.