NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Katalaya

A feminine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "flower garland".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Katalaya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Katalaya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5765, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 3 births.

This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2017 to 2017. 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.

Katalaya is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Katalaya. 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 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Katalaya ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 3 girls were registered as Katalaya.
  • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Katalaya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5765

2017

Births in 2017

3

Latest year

Peak year

2017

3 births

Estimated living

3

2026

Meaning

What does Katalaya mean?

The name Katalaya has its origins in the ancient Sanskrit language, which was widely used in the Indian subcontinent during the vedic period between 1500 BCE and 500 BCE. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words "kata," meaning "story" or "narrative," and "laya," meaning "dissolution" or "absorption." Therefore, the name Katalaya can be interpreted as "one who is absorbed in stories" or "one who is immersed in narratives."

In the ancient Hindu texts, such as the Puranas and the Epics, there are references to several characters with names similar to Katalaya. One such example is the character of Katayani, a name used to refer to the goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. This name is believed to be a variant of Katalaya and is associated with the goddess's role as the narrator of sacred stories and the embodiment of divine knowledge.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Katalaya can be traced back to the 8th century CE, during the reign of the Pala Empire in the Indian subcontinent. Several inscriptions and historical records from this period mention individuals bearing this name. One notable figure was Katalaya, a renowned scholar and poet who lived during the reign of the Pala king Dharmapala (770-810 CE). Her works, though not fully preserved, were highly regarded for their literary merit and philosophical depth.

Another prominent person with the name Katalaya was a Buddhist monk who lived in the 12th century CE. He was a renowned scholar and teacher of the Vajrayana tradition and is credited with establishing several monasteries and centers of learning in the region that is now modern-day Bangladesh. His writings on Buddhist philosophy and meditation practices were highly influential and are still studied today.

In the 14th century CE, there was a famous Sufi mystic and poet named Katalaya who lived in the court of the Delhi Sultanate. Her devotional compositions and spiritual teachings were widely celebrated, and she is often referred to as one of the pioneers of the Sufi movement in South Asia.

During the 16th century, there was a prominent Hindu scholar and astrologer named Katalaya who served as an advisor to the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He was renowned for his expertise in the fields of astronomy, astrology, and mathematics, and his treatises on these subjects were widely studied in the imperial courts of the time.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Katalaya. The name has maintained its significance and cultural relevance in various regions of South Asia, particularly in areas where Sanskrit and its linguistic offshoots have had a profound influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Katalaya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Katalaya 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 #5765 3 1

Related

Names similar to Katalaya

FAQ

Katalaya: questions and answers

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

In 2017, Katalaya was ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Katalaya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 3 babies registered as Katalaya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Katalaya?

A feminine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "flower garland".

How many people are called Katalaya in the UK?

A total of 3 babies have been registered as Katalaya 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.