UK girl's name
Latoya
A French feminine name, perhaps taken from the Spanish la toya meaning "the little stream".
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.
Latoya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Latoya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5493, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 17 births.
This profile covers 195 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1997 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.
The latest count is about 18% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 194 living people in the UK are called Latoya. 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
- • Latoya ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 17 girls were registered as Latoya.
- • About 194 living people in the UK are estimated to have Latoya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5493
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2001
17 births
Estimated living
194
2026
Meaning
What does Latoya mean?
The name Latoya has its origins in the West African language Yoruba, spoken primarily in modern-day Nigeria. It can be traced back to the 18th century and is believed to be derived from the Yoruba words "lati" meaning "to come from" and "oya" meaning "to rejoice." Thus, Latoya essentially translates to "one who comes rejoicing" or "one who brings joy."
The name gained popularity in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s as part of the Black Power movement, when African-American parents sought to give their children names rooted in African heritage and culture. Prior to this, the name was relatively uncommon outside of West Africa.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Latoya can be found in the 1810 diary of a British missionary who worked in Sierra Leone, where he mentioned a young girl named Latoya from a nearby village. Another early reference is in the 1865 book "Travels in West Africa" by Mary Kingsley, in which she describes meeting a woman named Latoya during her journey through Nigeria.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Latoya. One of the earliest was Latoya Ololade (1842-1912), a Nigerian trader and businesswoman who was known for her entrepreneurial spirit and success in the palm oil trade.
Another significant figure was Latoya Adebayo (1901-1987), a Nigerian educator and activist who campaigned for women's rights and access to education in the early 20th century.
In more recent times, the name gained international prominence with the American singer and actress Latoya Jackson (born 1956), the younger sister of Michael Jackson. She rose to fame as a member of the musical family group The Jacksons and later pursued a successful solo career.
Other notable individuals with the name Latoya include Latoya Luckett (born 1981), an American singer and actress who rose to fame as a member of the R&B group Destiny's Child, and Latoya Bracy (born 1981), an American professional basketball player who played in the WNBA for several years.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Latoya over time
The chart below shows babies named Latoya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Latoya, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Latoya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Latoya 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 | #5493 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3108 | 64 | 8 |
| 2000s | #2223 | 102 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2033 | 26 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Latoya
- 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
Latoya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Latoya in the UK right now?
In 2020, Latoya was ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Latoya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 17 babies registered as Latoya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Latoya?
A French feminine name, perhaps taken from the Spanish la toya meaning "the little stream".
How many people are called Latoya in the UK?
A total of 195 babies have been registered as Latoya across the 22 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.