UK girl's name
Naiara
A feminine name of Basque origin meaning "shining light" or "ray of light".
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.
Naiara is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Naiara popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 5 births.
This profile covers 31 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 31 living people in the UK are called Naiara. 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
- • Naiara ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 5 girls were registered as Naiara.
- • About 31 living people in the UK are estimated to have Naiara as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2022
5 births
Estimated living
31
2026
Meaning
What does Naiara mean?
The name Naiara is believed to have its origins in the Basque language spoken in the Basque Country, a region straddling parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. The Basque language is a language isolate, meaning it is not known to be directly related to any other living language.
Naiara is a Basque feminine name derived from the Basque words "naia" meaning "wish" or "desire" and "ara" meaning "towards" or "direction." Hence, the name Naiara can be interpreted to mean "towards a wish" or "towards a desire."
While the exact origins of the name are uncertain, it is thought to have been used in the Basque region for centuries. However, there are no known historical references to the name Naiara in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records from that region.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Naiara dates back to the late 20th century. Naiara Egozkue Zubiria (born 1977) is a Spanish former professional tennis player from the Basque Country who achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 43 in the world in 2001.
Another notable individual with the name Naiara is Naiara Muñoz (born 1989), a Spanish actress and model known for her roles in television series such as "Velvet" and "El Secreto de Puente Viejo."
Naiara Arrizabalaga (born 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Spanish club Athletic Bilbao and the Spanish national team.
Naiara Fernández (born 1992) is a Spanish actress and singer who has appeared in various television series and films, including "Velvet Colección" and "Élite."
Naiara Egiluz (born 1989) is a Spanish professional golfer who has competed on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Naiara over time
The chart below shows babies named Naiara 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 Naiara, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Naiara by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Naiara 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 | #5115 | 18 | 5 |
| 2010s | #5207 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #5131 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Naiara
- Niamh 20,347
- Nicole 19,687
- Natasha 15,578
- Nancy 12,607
- Naomi 12,199
- Natalie 10,885
- Nevaeh 7,869
- Nina 7,285
- Neve 7,180
- Natalia 7,099
- Nadia 6,032
- Nicola 4,927
FAQ
Naiara: questions and answers
How popular is the name Naiara in the UK right now?
In 2024, Naiara was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Naiara most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 5 babies registered as Naiara in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Naiara?
A feminine name of Basque origin meaning "shining light" or "ray of light".
How many people are called Naiara in the UK?
A total of 31 babies have been registered as Naiara across the 9 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.