UK girl's name
Priya
A Sanskrit feminine name meaning beloved, dear, or darling.
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.
Priya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Priya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1160, with 29 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 155 births.
This profile covers 2,963 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 19% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 3,185 living people in the UK are called Priya. 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
- • Priya ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 29 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 155 girls were registered as Priya.
- • Priya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #337 in 2024.
- • About 3,185 living people in the UK are estimated to have Priya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1160
2024
Births in 2024
29
Latest year
Peak year
2014
155 births
Estimated living
3,185
2026
Meaning
What does Priya mean?
Priya is a given name that has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language from the Indian subcontinent. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "priya," which means "beloved" or "dear." It is a feminine name that has been popular in various parts of India and among people of Indian descent for centuries.
The name Priya has been mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Upanishads and the Vedas. It is also found in various Hindu mythological stories and epics, where it is often associated with goddesses or female characters who are revered for their beauty, grace, and virtue.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Priya can be found in the Mahabharata, which is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. In this epic, Priya is the name of a princess who is described as being exceptionally beautiful and virtuous.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Priya. One of the most famous was Priya Darshini (1638-1701), who was a prominent poet and scholar during the Mughal era in India. She was known for her mastery of various languages, including Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic, and her works explored themes of love, spirituality, and philosophy.
Another notable figure was Priya Nath Sarbadhikari (1869-1949), who was an Indian philosopher, educationist, and social reformer. He founded the Sarbadhikari Trust, which aimed to promote education and social welfare initiatives in Bengal.
In more recent times, Priya Dutt (born 1966) is an Indian politician and social worker who has served as a member of the Indian Parliament. She is known for her work in promoting women's rights and empowerment.
Priya Rajan (born 1978) is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who has received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to the field of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form.
Priya Bapat (born 1986) is an Indian actress who has appeared in various Marathi and Hindi films and television shows. She is known for her versatile performances and has won several awards for her acting.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Priya throughout history, showcasing the rich cultural significance and popularity of this beautiful name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Priya over time
The chart below shows babies named Priya registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Priya, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 29 births in 2024, compared with 155 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Priya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Priya 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 | #839 | 226 | 5 |
| 2010s | #442 | 1,073 | 10 |
| 2000s | #335 | 1,204 | 10 |
| 1990s | #310 | 460 | 4 |
Geography
Where Priya is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Priya. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Priya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #337 in 2024.
Across the UK
Priya in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#790 in 2024
27 years of NRS records, 133 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#337 in 2024
13 years of NISRA records, 107 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Priya
-
Priya Blackburn
actor
actress
1995-
-
Priya Lal
actor
British actress
1993-
-
Priya Ahluwalia
fashion designer
Fashion designer, founder of the brand "Ahluwalia", she focuses on repurposing and upcycling vintage clothes materials (born 1993)
1993-
-
Priya Basil
writer
British author
1977-
-
Priya Sharma
novelist; short story writer
British author
1971-
-
Priya Young
erotic photography model
British glamour model; Preeti Young's twin sister
Related
Names similar to Priya
- Poppy 52,802
- Phoebe 47,609
- Paige 24,717
- Penelope 13,109
- Pippa 6,346
- Polly 5,678
- Philippa 4,446
- Penny 4,394
- Paris 4,372
- Piper 3,961
- Pearl 3,516
- Paisley 3,419
FAQ
Priya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Priya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Priya was ranked #1160 for girls in England and Wales, with 29 births registered.
When was Priya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 155 babies registered as Priya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Priya?
A Sanskrit feminine name meaning beloved, dear, or darling.
How many people are called Priya in the UK?
A total of 2,963 babies have been registered as Priya across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 133 more in Scotland and 107 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Priya most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Priya ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #337 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.