NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Khiya

An Arabic name meaning "tent".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Khiya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Khiya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2006 to 2009. 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 Khiya. 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 2010 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Khiya ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2006, when 3 girls were registered as Khiya.
  • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Khiya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5556

2009

Births in 2009

3

Latest year

Peak year

2006

3 births

Estimated living

6

2026

Meaning

What does Khiya mean?

The name Khiya originates from the ancient Sanskrit language of India, which dates back to around 1500 BCE. The name is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "khya," meaning "fame" or "renown." It is thought to have been a popular name among the noble and warrior classes of ancient India, given its association with honor and prestige.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Khiya can be found in the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, which is dated to around the 8th century BCE. In this epic, Khiya is mentioned as the name of a renowned warrior and archer who fought alongside the Pandava princes in the great Kurukshetra war.

During the Gupta Empire, which ruled over much of northern India from the 4th to the 6th century CE, the name Khiya gained further prominence. Several historical records from this period mention individuals bearing this name, including a renowned scholar and poet named Khiya Vidyapati, who lived during the reign of King Chandragupta II.

In the 12th century CE, a notable figure named Khiya Narayana was an influential minister and military strategist in the court of the Chalukya dynasty, which ruled over parts of present-day Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. His contributions to military tactics and governance are well-documented in historical texts of the time.

Another prominent individual with the name Khiya was a Sanskrit scholar and grammarian who lived in the 15th century CE during the reign of the Vijayanagar Empire. Known as Khiya Bhatta, he authored several influential works on Sanskrit grammar and linguistics, which are still studied and referenced today.

In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the name Khiya was Khiya Khan, a renowned Pashtun warrior and military leader who fought against the British Empire in the 19th century. He played a pivotal role in the Anglo-Afghan Wars and is remembered for his bravery and strategic prowess on the battlefield.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Khiya over time

The chart below shows babies named Khiya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Khiya, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2009, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Khiya
01223200620072009

Decades

Khiya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Khiya 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 #5309 6 2

Related

Names similar to Khiya

FAQ

Khiya: questions and answers

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

In 2009, Khiya was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Khiya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2006, with 3 babies registered as Khiya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Khiya?

An Arabic name meaning "tent".

How many people are called Khiya in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Khiya 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.