UK girl's name
Naya
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "new", "modern", or "fresh".
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.
Naya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Naya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #539, with 72 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 91 births.
This profile covers 731 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1999 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 79% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 767 living people in the UK are called Naya. 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
- • Naya ranked #539 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 72 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 91 girls were registered as Naya.
- • Naya ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #333 in 2024.
- • About 767 living people in the UK are estimated to have Naya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#539
2024
Births in 2024
72
Latest year
Peak year
2021
91 births
Estimated living
767
2026
Meaning
What does Naya mean?
The name Naya has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which was the classical language of ancient India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "nava," meaning "new" or "fresh." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Naya was likely given to children in the hope that they would embody a sense of renewal or bring a fresh perspective to the world.
Naya's roots can be traced back to the ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and the Upanishads, where it was occasionally used as a name or referenced in various contexts. Some historical records indicate that the name was particularly popular among the Brahmin community in certain regions of India during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Naya was Naya Brahma, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and poet who lived in the 7th century CE. Naya Brahma's literary works, which included commentaries on ancient Hindu texts, were widely celebrated and contributed to the preservation of Sanskrit literature during that era.
In the 12th century, a prominent figure named Naya Kaul rose to prominence as a influential philosopher and theologian within the Kashmir Shaivism tradition. Naya Kaul's teachings and writings on the nature of consciousness and the divine were highly influential in shaping the spiritual landscape of the region.
During the Mughal Empire in the 16th century, a woman named Naya Begum played a significant role as a courtier and advisor to the Mughal emperor Akbar. Naya Begum was renowned for her wisdom, diplomacy, and keen political acumen, and her counsel was sought by the emperor on various matters of state.
In the 19th century, Naya Devi, a renowned poet and mystic from the state of Rajasthan, gained recognition for her devotional poetry and spiritual teachings. Her verses, which often celebrated the divine love and unity of all beings, continue to be widely recited and studied by spiritual seekers.
Another notable figure with the name Naya was Naya Rander, an influential social reformer and educator from Gujarat who worked tirelessly to promote education and uplift marginalized communities in the early 20th century. Naya Rander's efforts played a crucial role in establishing several schools and educational institutions in the region.
While these are just a few examples, the name Naya has been carried by many notable individuals throughout history, each contributing to the rich tapestry of human experience and leaving an indelible mark on their respective fields and societies.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Naya over time
The chart below shows babies named Naya 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 Naya, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 72 births in 2024, compared with 91 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Naya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Naya 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 | #569 | 349 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1206 | 314 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2950 | 64 | 10 |
| 1990s | #3225 | 4 | 1 |
Geography
Where Naya is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Naya. 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.
Naya ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #333 in 2024.
Across the UK
Naya in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#333 in 2024
7 years of NRS records, 39 total registered
Related
Names similar to Naya
- 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
Naya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Naya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Naya was ranked #539 for girls in England and Wales, with 72 births registered.
When was Naya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 91 babies registered as Naya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Naya?
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "new", "modern", or "fresh".
How many people are called Naya in the UK?
A total of 731 babies have been registered as Naya across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 39 more in Scotland.
Where is Naya most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Naya ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #333 in 2024. 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.