UK girl's name
Nilufar
An Arabic/Persian feminine name meaning "blue water lily flower".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2008. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nilufar is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nilufar popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2008 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5545, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2008 to 2008. 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.
Nilufar is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Nilufar. 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 2009 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nilufar ranked #5545 for girls in England and Wales in 2008, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 3 girls were registered as Nilufar.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nilufar as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5545
2008
Births in 2008
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Nilufar mean?
The name Nilufar has its origins in the Persian and Dari languages, where it translates to "lotus flower" or "water lily". Its roots can be traced back to ancient Persia, present-day Iran and Afghanistan, where the lotus flower held significant cultural and symbolic importance.
In ancient Persian literature, the lotus flower was often associated with beauty, purity, and spiritual enlightenment. The name Nilufar was likely bestowed upon children as a symbol of these virtues and as a reflection of the reverence held for this aquatic bloom.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nilufar can be found in the epic Persian poem Shahnameh, written by the renowned poet Ferdowsi in the 10th century AD. In this literary masterpiece, Nilufar is mentioned as the name of a beautiful princess.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nilufar. One such figure was Nilufar Badrā, a 13th-century Persian princess and poet from the Khwarazmian Empire. Her poetry, which celebrated love and nature, has been preserved and studied by scholars of Persian literature.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Nilufar Sarāyī, a 17th-century Mughal princess and the daughter of Emperor Jahangir. She was renowned for her patronage of the arts and her support of poets and scholars during her lifetime.
In more recent times, Nilufar Banakhanova (1885-1938) was a prominent Uzbek actress and one of the first women to perform on stage in Central Asia. She played a pivotal role in the development of Uzbek theater and is celebrated as a pioneering figure in the region's cultural history.
Nilufar Halimova (1913-1991), a renowned Tajik writer and journalist, was another notable bearer of the name. Her works explored themes of women's empowerment and social justice, earning her widespread recognition and several literary awards.
The name Nilufar continues to be popular in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with Persian cultural influence, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and parts of Central Asia. It serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of Persian culture and the timeless beauty and symbolism associated with the lotus flower.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Nilufar by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nilufar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #5545 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Nilufar
- 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
Nilufar: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nilufar in the UK right now?
In 2008, Nilufar was ranked #5545 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nilufar most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 3 babies registered as Nilufar in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nilufar?
An Arabic/Persian feminine name meaning "blue water lily flower".
How many people are called Nilufar in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Nilufar across the 1 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.