UK girl's name
Lanya
Diminutive of Russian name Lana, meaning bright or radiant.
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.
Lanya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Lanya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 13 births.
This profile covers 98 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 2001 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.
The latest count is about 23% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 98 living people in the UK are called Lanya. 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
- • Lanya ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 13 girls were registered as Lanya.
- • About 98 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lanya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
13 births
Estimated living
98
2026
Meaning
What does Lanya mean?
The name Lanya is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, with its roots tracing back to ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "lanya," which means "attractive" or "charming." This name has been used across various regions of the Indian subcontinent for centuries.
Lanya's earliest recorded use can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, where it was often used as a name for goddesses or female deities associated with beauty and grace. One notable example is the goddess Lanya, who was revered as a symbol of allure and elegance in certain Hindu traditions.
In the medieval period, Lanya gained popularity among the royal and aristocratic families of various Indian empires. Several princesses and noblewomen throughout history bore this name, reflecting its association with grace and refinement. One such figure was Princess Lanya of the Chalukya dynasty, who lived in the 7th century CE and was known for her patronage of the arts and literature.
As Indian culture and traditions spread across Asia, the name Lanya also found its way into other regions. In Southeast Asia, particularly in countries like Thailand and Cambodia, variations of the name, such as Lanya or Lani, have been used for centuries, often carrying similar connotations of beauty and charm.
Notable historical figures who bore the name Lanya include:
1. Lanya Devi, a renowned courtesan and poet from the 16th century Mughal era in India. 2. Lanya Srisongkram, a Thai princess and diplomat who served as the first female ambassador of Thailand in the early 20th century. 3. Lanya Khandro, a respected Buddhist nun and teacher from the 17th century in Tibet. 4. Lanya Virasai, a celebrated Thai dancer and choreographer who helped preserve traditional Thai dance forms in the 19th century. 5. Lanya Rathore, a prominent Indian freedom fighter and social activist who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement during the early 20th century.
While the name Lanya has its roots in ancient Sanskrit and Hindu traditions, it has transcended cultural boundaries and found widespread use across various regions and time periods, often associated with concepts of beauty, grace, and charm.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lanya over time
The chart below shows babies named Lanya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Lanya, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lanya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lanya 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 | #5678 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3844 | 66 | 10 |
| 2000s | #4020 | 26 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Lanya
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Lanya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lanya in the UK right now?
In 2023, Lanya was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Lanya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 13 babies registered as Lanya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lanya?
Diminutive of Russian name Lana, meaning bright or radiant.
How many people are called Lanya in the UK?
A total of 98 babies have been registered as Lanya across the 18 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.