NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Mea

A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly English referring to "my".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Mea is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mea popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2003, with 28 births.

This profile covers 284 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1999 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 303 living people in the UK are called Mea. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Mea ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2003, when 28 girls were registered as Mea.
  • Mea ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.
  • About 303 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mea as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4192

2024

Births in 2024

5

Latest year

Peak year

2003

28 births

Estimated living

303

2026

Meaning

What does Mea mean?

The name Mea has its origins in the Hawaiian language and culture. It is derived from the Hawaiian word "mea," which means "thing" or "object." The name Mea is believed to have been used as a given name in Hawaii as early as the 18th century.

In ancient Hawaiian culture, the name Mea was often used to refer to a person's prized possession or a significant object in their life. It was a way of honoring and recognizing the importance of material objects in Hawaiian society.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Mea can be found in the Hawaiian language newspaper "Ka Nupepa Kuokoa," which was published in the late 19th century. The newspaper featured stories and articles that mentioned individuals with the name Mea.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Mea. One such person was Mea Kamaka (1865-1945), a renowned Hawaiian musician and composer who is credited with reviving and preserving traditional Hawaiian music during the early 20th century.

Another notable figure was Mea Kanaloa (1887-1962), a Hawaiian activist and leader who played a key role in the movement for Hawaiian sovereignty and self-governance during the early 20th century.

In the realm of literature, Mea Kahalewai (1923-2004) was a celebrated Hawaiian writer and poet whose works explored themes of Hawaiian culture, identity, and the impact of colonialism.

The name Mea was also carried by Mea Kealoha (1901-1978), a renowned Hawaiian artist and painter who is renowned for her vibrant depictions of Hawaiian landscapes and scenes from daily life.

Mea Kaimana (1912-1988) was a respected Hawaiian educator and advocate for the preservation of Hawaiian language and culture. She dedicated her life to teaching and promoting the revitalization of Hawaiian traditions.

While these are just a few examples, the name Mea has been borne by numerous individuals throughout Hawaiian history, serving as a reminder of the cultural significance and meaning attached to this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Mea over time

The chart below shows babies named Mea registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Mea, the clearest high point is 2003. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 28 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Mea
07142128199920112024

Decades

Mea by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mea 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 #4843 8 2
2010s #3134 88 10
2000s #1460 184 10
1990s #3225 4 1

Geography

Where Mea is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Mea. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Mea ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.

Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Mea in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#391 in 2023

5 years of NISRA records, 21 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Mea

  • Mea Allan

    journalist; historian of science; science fiction writer

    British writer (1909-1982)

    1909-1982

Related

Names similar to Mea

FAQ

Mea: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Mea was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Mea most popular?

The peak year on record was 2003, with 28 babies registered as Mea in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Mea?

A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly English referring to "my".

How many people are called Mea in the UK?

A total of 284 babies have been registered as Mea across the 23 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here and 21 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Mea most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Mea ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #391 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.