UK girl's name
Manya
A feminine name of Russian origin meaning "wished for child".
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.
Manya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Manya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4056, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 8 births.
This profile covers 69 England and Wales registrations across 16 recorded years from 2003 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 69 living people in the UK are called Manya. 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
- • Manya ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 8 girls were registered as Manya.
- • About 69 living people in the UK are estimated to have Manya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4056
2023
Births in 2023
5
Latest year
Peak year
2014
8 births
Estimated living
69
2026
Meaning
What does Manya mean?
The name Manya is a female given name with origins in several languages and cultures. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "manya," meaning "worthy of honor" or "respectable." In Hindi, the name is pronounced "munn-yaa" and is often used as a diminutive form of the name Manisha.
In Russian, the name Manya is a diminutive form of the name Maria, which is derived from the Hebrew name Miryam. It is also used as a diminutive form of the name Marina in some Slavic countries. The name has been in use in Russia since at least the 19th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Manya is in the ancient Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata, where it is mentioned as the name of a princess. In the Jewish tradition, there is a reference to a woman named Manya in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Manya. One of the earliest was Manya Shochat (1879-1961), a Russian-born Israeli politician and one of the signatories of the Israeli Declaration of Independence. Another notable figure was Manya Sklodowska (1867-1939), the mother of Marie Curie, the famous physicist and chemist.
In the world of literature, Manya Shohat (1880-1961) was a prominent Hebrew writer and educator, known for her contributions to children's literature in Israel. Manya Wilbor-Topaz (1894-1978) was a Polish-born American poet and translator, renowned for her translations of Yiddish literature.
In the realm of the arts, Manya Unielider (1886-1971) was a Russian-born American painter and sculptor, known for her modernist works. Manya Baysman (1924-2014) was a prominent Israeli writer and actress, who made significant contributions to the Israeli theater scene.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Manya throughout history, spanning various fields and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Manya over time
The chart below shows babies named Manya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 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 Manya, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Manya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Manya 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 | #4184 | 14 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4547 | 37 | 8 |
| 2000s | #4445 | 18 | 5 |
Related
Names similar to Manya
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Manya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Manya in the UK right now?
In 2023, Manya was ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Manya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 8 babies registered as Manya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Manya?
A feminine name of Russian origin meaning "wished for child".
How many people are called Manya in the UK?
A total of 69 babies have been registered as Manya across the 16 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.