NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Miya

A feminine Japanese name meaning "beautiful night rain".

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.

Miya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Miya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #666, with 58 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 105 births.

This profile covers 1,794 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland 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 55% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 2,021 living people in the UK are called Miya. 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

  • Miya ranked #666 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 58 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2012, when 105 girls were registered as Miya.
  • Miya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #418 in 2022.
  • About 2,021 living people in the UK are estimated to have Miya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#666

2024

Births in 2024

58

Latest year

Peak year

2012

105 births

Estimated living

2,021

2026

Meaning

What does Miya mean?

The name Miya has its roots in Japanese culture and language. It is believed to have originated as a feminine variant of the Japanese name Mio, which itself is derived from the word "mi" meaning "beautiful" or "admirable." The name Miya may also be related to the Japanese word "miya," meaning "shrine" or "palace."

In ancient Japanese texts and literature, the name Miya was occasionally used as a poetic reference to a woman of great beauty or elegance. Some scholars suggest that it may have been a title or honorific bestowed upon noblewomen or courtesans in certain historical periods.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Miya dates back to the 8th century, when a Japanese woman named Miya no Kimi, a lady-in-waiting at the imperial court, was mentioned in the classical poetry anthology "Manyoshu."

Throughout Japanese history, several notable figures have borne the name Miya. Miya Masa (1457-1507) was a renowned female poet and calligrapher during the Muromachi period. Miya Ukon (1698-1770) was a celebrated Kabuki actor and playwright in the Edo period, known for his portrayal of female roles.

In the modern era, Miya Matsuri (1899-1987) was a pioneering feminist and educator who fought for women's rights and established several schools for girls in Japan. Miya Mukai (1903-1956) was a renowned Japanese artist and printmaker, famous for her intricate woodblock prints depicting scenes from everyday life.

Miya Shidō (1919-2016) was a celebrated Japanese actress and musician, known for her roles in numerous films and television shows, as well as her vocal performances of traditional Japanese music.

While the name Miya has its roots in Japanese culture, it has gained popularity globally in recent times, transcending its linguistic and cultural origins. However, its historical significance and resonance within Japanese tradition remain an integral part of its identity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Miya over time

The chart below shows babies named Miya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Miya, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 58 births in 2024, compared with 105 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Miya
0265379105199620102024

Decades

Miya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Miya 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 #628 313 5
2010s #504 855 10
2000s #589 583 10
1990s #1890 43 4

Geography

Where Miya is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Miya. 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.

Miya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #418 in 2022.

Northern Ireland
3
Scotland
3

Across the UK

Miya in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#790 in 2024

21 years of NRS records, 172 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#418 in 2022

15 years of NISRA records, 65 total registered

Related

Names similar to Miya

FAQ

Miya: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Miya was ranked #666 for girls in England and Wales, with 58 births registered.

When was Miya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2012, with 105 babies registered as Miya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Miya?

A feminine Japanese name meaning "beautiful night rain".

How many people are called Miya in the UK?

A total of 1,794 babies have been registered as Miya across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 172 more in Scotland and 65 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Miya most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Miya ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #418 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.