UK girl's name
Meila
A feminine name of Lithuanian origin meaning "beloved".
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.
Meila is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Meila popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1672, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 22 births.
This profile covers 183 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 82% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 189 living people in the UK are called Meila. 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
- • Meila ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 22 girls were registered as Meila.
- • Meila ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #625 in 2022.
- • About 189 living people in the UK are estimated to have Meila as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1672
2024
Births in 2024
18
Latest year
Peak year
2018
22 births
Estimated living
189
2026
Meaning
What does Meila mean?
The name Meila has its origins in the ancient Germanic language, with roots dating back to the 5th century AD. The name is derived from the Old High German word "meil," which means "strength" or "power." This suggests that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who exhibited exceptional physical or mental fortitude.
In the early medieval period, the name Meila was particularly prevalent among the Frankish and Alemanni tribes that inhabited present-day Germany and parts of France. Its popularity spread as these tribes migrated and interacted with other cultures across Europe, leading to variations in spelling and pronunciation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Meila can be found in the Codex Sangallensis, a 9th-century manuscript containing a collection of writings from the Abbey of St. Gallen in Switzerland. This manuscript includes a list of names, among which Meila is mentioned.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Meila. One such individual was Meila of Anjou, a 12th-century noblewoman from the French region of Anjou. She was known for her influential role in the court of King Henry II of England.
Another prominent figure was Meila von Wittelsbach, a 14th-century Bavarian duchess who played a significant role in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire during her time. She was instrumental in securing the succession of her son, Louis IV, to the imperial throne.
In the 16th century, Meila Bjelica was a celebrated Croatian poet and writer. Her works, which explored themes of love and nature, were widely acclaimed and helped to shape the literary landscape of the Renaissance period in the Balkans.
Moving forward to the 19th century, Meila Hartmann was a German educator and advocate for women's rights. She established several schools and organizations dedicated to promoting educational opportunities for women, and her work had a lasting impact on the advancement of gender equality.
Finally, in the early 20th century, Meila Sacchi was an Italian opera singer renowned for her powerful soprano voice. She performed on prestigious stages across Europe and is remembered as one of the great operatic talents of her time.
These examples demonstrate the enduring presence of the name Meila throughout various cultures and historical periods, reflecting its rich heritage and diverse associations with individuals who have left their mark on society.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Meila over time
The chart below shows babies named Meila registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 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 Meila, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 22 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Meila by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Meila 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 | #1792 | 80 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2876 | 100 | 9 |
| 2000s | #5061 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Meila is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Meila. 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.
Meila ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #625 in 2022.
Across the UK
Meila in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#625 in 2022
2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered
Related
Names similar to Meila
- 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
Meila: questions and answers
How popular is the name Meila in the UK right now?
In 2024, Meila was ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.
When was Meila most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 22 babies registered as Meila in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Meila?
A feminine name of Lithuanian origin meaning "beloved".
How many people are called Meila in the UK?
A total of 183 babies have been registered as Meila across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland.
Where is Meila most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Meila ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #625 in 2022. 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.