UK name, mostly boys
Kashi
An ancient Sanskrit name for the city of Varanasi.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 4 girls.
Kashi is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Kashi popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3848, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2014 to 2020. 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.
Kashi is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Kashi. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kashi ranked #3848 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 4 boys were registered as Kashi.
- • Kashi is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kashi as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 63.6% of Kashi registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3848
2020
Births in 2020
4
Latest year
Peak year
2020
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kashi
In England and Wales birth records, Kashi has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 63.6% of registrations are for boys and 36.4% 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.
Kashi registered for boys
- Ranked #3,848 in 2020
- 4 boys registered in 2020
- Peak: 2020 (4 births)
Kashi registered for girls
- Ranked #4,763 in 2017
- 4 girls registered in 2017
- Peak: 2017 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Kashi mean?
The name Kashi is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to around the 2nd millennium BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word 'kashtha', which means "shining" or "brilliant". The name is closely associated with the holy city of Varanasi, also known as Kashi, which is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and a revered spiritual center for Hindus.
In Hindu mythology, Kashi is considered to be one of the most sacred cities and is believed to have been established by the Hindu deity Lord Shiva himself. The name Kashi is mentioned in several ancient Hindu texts, including the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Puranas, among others. It is believed that attaining moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death) is easier for those who reside in Kashi.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Kashi can be found in the Kashi Khanda, a section of the Skanda Purana, which is an ancient Hindu text that dates back to around the 7th century CE. In this text, Kashi is described as a sacred city and the abode of Lord Shiva.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kashi. One of the most famous was Kashi Nath, a 16th-century Hindu mystic and poet who was born in Varanasi and is revered as a saint in the Nath tradition. Another notable figure was Kashi Prasad Jayaswal, an Indian historian and archaeologist who lived from 1889 to 1937 and made significant contributions to the study of ancient Indian history and culture.
Kashi Vishwanath, a Hindu saint and philosopher who lived in the 15th century, was also a prominent figure. He is known for establishing the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, which is one of the most sacred Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kashi Ram, a 19th-century Indian reformer and social activist who worked towards the abolition of the practice of sati (widow burning), was another notable individual with this name.
Additionally, Kashi Prasad Mishra, a renowned Indian poet and writer who lived from 1904 to 1973, was also known by the name Kashi. His works, which were primarily written in Hindi, explored themes of spirituality, love, and social issues.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kashi over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kashi in England and Wales, from 2014 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kashi, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2020, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kashi by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kashi 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 | #3848 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4632 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Kashi
- 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
Kashi: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kashi in the UK right now?
In 2020, Kashi was ranked #3848 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Kashi most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 4 babies registered as Kashi in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kashi?
An ancient Sanskrit name for the city of Varanasi.
How many people are called Kashi in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Kashi 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.