UK girl's name
Netanya
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Netanya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Netanya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5591, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 3 births.
This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2002 to 2019. 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 12 living people in the UK are called Netanya. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Netanya ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2002, when 3 girls were registered as Netanya.
- • About 12 living people in the UK are estimated to have Netanya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5591
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2002
3 births
Estimated living
12
2026
Meaning
What does Netanya mean?
The name Netanya has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture. It is believed to have derived from the biblical place name "Netofa," which was a town mentioned in the Book of Ezra. The name Netanya is a feminine form of the word "Netofah," meaning "distillation" or "rill."
In ancient times, the name Netanya was associated with the concept of a small stream or a gentle flow of water. This connection to water sources was significant in the arid regions of the Middle East, where water was a precious resource.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Netanya can be found in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the Book of Ezra. The town of Netofa is mentioned as one of the settlements where the returning exiles from Babylon resided.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Netanya. One of the earliest recorded was Netanya ben Shemaiah, a Jewish scholar who lived in the 2nd century CE and is mentioned in the Talmud, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism.
Another prominent figure was Netanya Gurevitch (1820-1888), a Russian-born Hebrew author and educator who played a significant role in the Hebrew literary revival in the 19th century.
In the realm of modern Israeli history, Netanya Davrath (1885-1976) was a pioneer of the Zionist movement and one of the founders of the city of Netanya in modern-day Israel.
Netanya Nagler (1920-2015) was an Israeli artist and sculptor, known for her unique style of combining traditional Jewish motifs with modern art techniques.
Netanya Ben-Dror (born 1960) is an Israeli author and playwright, renowned for her works that explore themes of identity, relationships, and the complexities of modern life.
While the name Netanya has its roots in ancient Hebrew culture, it has transcended its origins and is now used globally, with variations in spelling and pronunciation across different languages and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Netanya over time
The chart below shows babies named Netanya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Netanya, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Netanya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Netanya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5688 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4368 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Netanya
- 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
Netanya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Netanya in the UK right now?
In 2019, Netanya was ranked #5591 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Netanya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2002, with 3 babies registered as Netanya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Netanya?
A feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God".
How many people are called Netanya in the UK?
A total of 12 babies have been registered as Netanya across the 4 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.