UK girl's name
Nyx
A feminine name from Greek mythology referring to the goddess of night.
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.
Nyx is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Nyx popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3695, with 6 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 8 births.
This profile covers 39 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2015 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.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 39 living people in the UK are called Nyx. 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
- • Nyx ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 6 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 8 girls were registered as Nyx.
- • About 39 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nyx as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3695
2024
Births in 2024
6
Latest year
Peak year
2021
8 births
Estimated living
39
2026
Meaning
What does Nyx mean?
Nyx is a name rooted in Greek mythology, originating from the ancient Greek word "νύξ" (nyx), meaning "night". This name personified the primordial goddess of the night, one of the primordial deities birthed from Chaos during the creation of the universe.
In Greek mythology, Nyx is often depicted as a winged goddess, draped in long, dark robes and adorned with a crown of poppies. She is the mother of various deities, including Hypnos (Sleep), Thanatos (Death), and the three Fates who controlled the destiny of mortals. Her counterpart was Hemera, the personification of day.
The earliest recorded references to the name Nyx can be found in various ancient Greek texts, including the works of Hesiod, Homer, and other classical authors. In Hesiod's Theogony, Nyx is described as one of the first beings to emerge from Chaos, along with other primordial entities like Gaia (Earth) and Erebus (Darkness).
Throughout history, the name Nyx has been borne by several notable individuals, albeit infrequently. One of the earliest recorded instances is Nyx of Miletus, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 5th century BCE. Another notable figure was Nyx of Rhamnus, a priestess of the goddess Nemesis in ancient Greece.
In the realm of literature, the name Nyx has been used for various fictional characters. One example is Nyx, the personification of Night in John Milton's epic poem "Paradise Lost" (1667). Additionally, Nyx is the name of a character in the popular young adult fantasy series "The House of Night" by P.C. and Kristin Cast.
Other notable individuals bearing the name Nyx include Nyx Jayden, an American model and social media influencer born in 1989, and Nyx Cahill, a Canadian dancer and choreographer born in 1987. Nyx Martinez, a Cuban-American actress and singer born in 1970, is another individual with this unique name.
While the name Nyx is not widely popular in modern times, it continues to captivate with its rich mythological heritage and evocative imagery, symbolizing the mysterious and alluring presence of the night.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nyx over time
The chart below shows babies named Nyx registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 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 Nyx, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 6 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyx by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nyx 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 | #4017 | 28 | 5 |
| 2010s | #5132 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Nyx
- 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
Nyx: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nyx in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nyx was ranked #3695 for girls in England and Wales, with 6 births registered.
When was Nyx most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 8 babies registered as Nyx in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nyx?
A feminine name from Greek mythology referring to the goddess of night.
How many people are called Nyx in the UK?
A total of 39 babies have been registered as Nyx across the 8 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.