UK girl's name
Nyima
A Tibetan name meaning "sun" or "sunlight".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nyima is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nyima popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4535, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 8 births.
This profile covers 42 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2006 to 2020. 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 42 living people in the UK are called Nyima. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nyima ranked #4535 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 8 girls were registered as Nyima.
- • About 42 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nyima as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4535
2020
Births in 2020
4
Latest year
Peak year
2017
8 births
Estimated living
42
2026
Meaning
What does Nyima mean?
Nyima is a given name that originated from the Tibetan language. It has its roots in the ancient Buddhist traditions of Tibet, dating back to the 7th century AD. The name is derived from the Tibetan word "nyi" meaning "sun" and "ma" meaning "mother" or "source." Together, Nyima translates to "source of the sun" or "sun-mother."
The name holds significant cultural and religious significance in Tibet, where the sun is revered as a powerful and life-giving force. In Tibetan Buddhism, the sun is often associated with enlightenment, warmth, and the dispelling of darkness and ignorance. The name Nyima was often given to children as a way of invoking blessings and protection from the sun's divine energy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nyima can be found in the biographies of famous Tibetan Buddhist teachers and scholars. For example, Nyima Drakpa (1286-1386) was a renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar and translator who played a crucial role in the dissemination of Buddhist teachings in the region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nyima. Nyima Tsering (1924-1999) was a Tibetan writer and activist who played a significant role in preserving Tibetan literature and culture. Nyima Tsamchoe (1916-1986) was a Tibetan Buddhist nun and teacher renowned for her spiritual wisdom and compassion.
Another prominent figure was Nyima Zhaxi (1838-1905), a Tibetan Buddhist lama and political leader who played a crucial role in the Tibetan resistance against the Qing Dynasty's attempts to assert control over Tibet in the late 19th century.
In more recent times, Nyima Tsering Shakabpa (1916-1983) was a Tibetan historian and writer who authored several important works on Tibetan history and culture, including the seminal "Political History of Tibet."
Nyima Nwagdan (1938-2018) was a Tibetan musician and composer who made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of traditional Tibetan music.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nyima over time
The chart below shows babies named Nyima registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nyima, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2020, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyima by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nyima 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 | #4535 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4173 | 26 | 5 |
| 2000s | #4561 | 12 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Nyima
- 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
Nyima: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nyima in the UK right now?
In 2020, Nyima was ranked #4535 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Nyima most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 8 babies registered as Nyima in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nyima?
A Tibetan name meaning "sun" or "sunlight".
How many people are called Nyima in the UK?
A total of 42 babies have been registered as Nyima across the 9 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.