UK boy's name
Naresh
A masculine Hindu name meaning "leader of men" or "supreme guide".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1998. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Naresh is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Naresh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1998 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2901, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1997 to 1998. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Naresh. 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 1999 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Naresh ranked #2901 for boys in England and Wales in 1998, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 3 boys were registered as Naresh.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Naresh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2901
1998
Births in 1998
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Naresh mean?
The name Naresh originates from the Sanskrit language and has its roots in ancient Indian culture. It is a compound word derived from the Sanskrit words "nara," meaning man or human, and "isha," meaning lord or master. The name can be traced back to the Vedic period in India, which spans from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
One of the earliest known references to the name Naresh can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Puranas. These sacred texts, which are believed to have been composed between the 3rd and 10th centuries CE, mention Naresh as a name for various deities and mythological figures.
In the historical records of India, the name Naresh first appears around the 6th century CE, during the reign of the Gupta Empire. Several rulers and nobles from this period bore the name Naresh, which was associated with strength, leadership, and authority.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the name Naresh. One of the earliest recorded figures was Naresh Chandra Gupta (980–1036), a renowned mathematician and astronomer from medieval India. Another prominent figure was Naresh Mehta (1938–2012), an Indian classical singer and exponent of the Gujarati folk music tradition.
In the 16th century, Naresh Bhattacharya (1555–1632) was a prominent Sanskrit scholar and poet who authored several works on Hindu philosophy and literature. During the 18th century, Naresh Chandra Sen (1740–1800) was a renowned Bengali poet and playwright who made significant contributions to the literary renaissance in Bengal.
More recently, Naresh Goyal (born 1949) is a prominent Indian businessman and the founder of Jet Airways, one of India's leading private airlines. Naresh Trehan (born 1946) is a renowned Indian cardiovascular surgeon and the founder of the Medanta Hospital chain.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Naresh, a name that has its roots in the ancient Sanskrit language and Indian culture, carrying connotations of leadership, authority, and mastery.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Naresh over time
The chart below shows babies named Naresh registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 to 1998. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Naresh, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 1998, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Naresh by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Naresh 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | #2880 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Naresh
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Naresh: questions and answers
How popular is the name Naresh in the UK right now?
In 1998, Naresh was ranked #2901 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Naresh most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 3 babies registered as Naresh in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Naresh?
A masculine Hindu name meaning "leader of men" or "supreme guide".
How many people are called Naresh in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Naresh across the 2 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.