UK girl's name
Nihara
A feminine name of Indian origin meaning "without darkness" or "bright".
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.
Nihara is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nihara popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2771, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 9 births.
This profile covers 21 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2019 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.
Nihara is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 21 living people in the UK are called Nihara. 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
- • Nihara ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 9 girls were registered as Nihara.
- • About 21 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nihara as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2771
2024
Births in 2024
9
Latest year
Peak year
2024
9 births
Estimated living
21
2026
Meaning
What does Nihara mean?
The name Nihara has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The name is believed to derive from the Sanskrit word "nihar," which means "rising sun" or "dawn." This suggests that the name carries connotations of new beginnings, light, and radiance.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nihara can be traced back to ancient Indian texts, where it was used to refer to the personification of the dawn goddess. In Hindu mythology, Nihara was often depicted as a beautiful and radiant figure, symbolizing the arrival of a new day.
Throughout history, the name Nihara has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Nihara Devi, a princess from the Rajput dynasty in India, who lived in the 8th century CE. She was renowned for her beauty and her patronage of the arts.
In the 12th century, Nihara Bai was a prominent poet and mystic from the Bhakti movement, known for her devotional compositions dedicated to the Hindu deity Krishna. Her poetic works have been widely celebrated and continue to be recited in various parts of India.
During the Mughal era, Nihara Begum was a influential figure in the court of Emperor Akbar. She was a skilled diplomat and played a crucial role in fostering cultural exchange between the Mughal Empire and neighboring regions.
In more recent times, Nihara Joshi was a pioneering Indian educator and social reformer who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She established several educational institutions for women and worked tirelessly to promote female literacy and empowerment.
Another notable bearer of the name was Nihara Arora, an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional Indian dance forms throughout the 20th century.
While the name Nihara has its roots in Sanskrit and Indian culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and gained popularity in various parts of the world, reflecting the universal appeal of its meaning and the richness of its historical associations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nihara over time
The chart below shows babies named Nihara registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2019 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 Nihara, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nihara by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nihara 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 | #4165 | 17 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4686 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Nihara
- 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
Nihara: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nihara in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nihara was ranked #2771 for girls in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Nihara most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 9 babies registered as Nihara in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nihara?
A feminine name of Indian origin meaning "without darkness" or "bright".
How many people are called Nihara in the UK?
A total of 21 babies have been registered as Nihara 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.