NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Nuna

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "little one" or "tiny".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Nuna is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nuna popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5666, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 3 births.

This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2018 to 2018. 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.

Nuna is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Nuna. 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 2019 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Nuna ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2018, when 3 girls were registered as Nuna.
  • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nuna as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5666

2018

Births in 2018

3

Latest year

Peak year

2018

3 births

Estimated living

3

2026

Meaning

What does Nuna mean?

The name Nuna has its origins in ancient Sumerian culture, one of the earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia, dating back to around 3500 BC. It is believed to be derived from the Sumerian word "nun," which means "great" or "exalted." The name was likely given to children as a wish for them to grow up to be great or achieve greatness in their lives.

In Sumerian mythology, Nuna was also the name of a minor goddess associated with the moon and fertility. She was often depicted alongside the more prominent moon god, Nanna, and was believed to influence the growth of crops and the fertility of humans and animals.

The earliest recorded use of the name Nuna can be found in cuneiform inscriptions and clay tablets from ancient Mesopotamia. One notable example is a tablet from the city of Ur, dated around 2500 BC, which mentions a woman named Nuna who was a priestess in the temple of the moon god.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Nuna. One of the earliest was Nuna of Lagash, a high priestess who lived in the city-state of Lagash (modern-day Al-Hiba, Iraq) around 2400 BC. She was known for her influential role in religious and political affairs during her time.

Another historical figure was Nuna, a Sumerian queen who ruled the city-state of Uruk (modern-day Warka, Iraq) around 2300 BC. She is mentioned in several ancient inscriptions and is believed to have been a powerful and respected ruler during her reign.

In the 7th century BC, there was a Babylonian woman named Nuna who was a renowned astrologer and astronomer. She is credited with contributing to the development of astrology and the study of celestial bodies in ancient Mesopotamia.

During the Islamic Golden Age, a notable figure named Nuna bint al-Mutanabbi (born around 965 AD) was a celebrated poet and scholar from Baghdad. She was highly praised for her eloquence and mastery of the Arabic language.

In more recent times, Nuna Amatō (1892-1963) was a Japanese feminist and suffragist who played a significant role in the women's rights movement in Japan during the early 20th century.

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Nuna, a name with rich cultural and historical significance originating from ancient Sumerian civilization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Nuna by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nuna 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 #5666 3 1

Related

Names similar to Nuna

FAQ

Nuna: questions and answers

How popular is the name Nuna in the UK right now?

In 2018, Nuna was ranked #5666 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Nuna most popular?

The peak year on record was 2018, with 3 babies registered as Nuna in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Nuna?

A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "little one" or "tiny".

How many people are called Nuna in the UK?

A total of 3 babies have been registered as Nuna 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.