UK girl's name
Puja
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "prayer" or "worship".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2014. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Puja is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Puja popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2014 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4684, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 12 births.
This profile covers 66 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1996 to 2014. 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 66 living people in the UK are called Puja. 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 2015 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Puja ranked #4684 for girls in England and Wales in 2014, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 12 girls were registered as Puja.
- • About 66 living people in the UK are estimated to have Puja as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4684
2014
Births in 2014
4
Latest year
Peak year
1996
12 births
Estimated living
66
2026
Meaning
What does Puja mean?
Puja is a name of Sanskrit origin, derived from the Hindu religious term "puja," which means "ritual worship" or "reverence." The name is deeply rooted in the ancient Indian culture and traditions, with its earliest recorded usage dating back to the Vedic period, around 1500 BCE.
The word "puja" is found in various ancient Hindu texts, such as the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas, where it is associated with rituals, offerings, and devotional practices. The name Puja signifies reverence, devotion, and a spiritual connection with the divine.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Puja can be found in the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic composed between the 8th and 9th centuries BCE. In the text, Puja is mentioned as the name of a princess, daughter of King Drupada.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Puja. Puja Nayyar (born 1981) is a prominent Indian actress and model who has appeared in numerous Bollywood films and television shows. Puja Kapoor (born 1981) is an Indian classical dancer and choreographer, renowned for her contributions to the preservation and promotion of Indian classical dance forms.
Puja Sandhir (born 1980) is a renowned Indian golf player who has won multiple professional tournaments and represented India in international competitions. Puja Verma (born 1991) is an Indian freestyle wrestler who has won numerous medals at international events, including the Commonwealth Games and Asian Championships.
Puja Thapa (born 1989) is a Nepali supermodel and actress who has graced the covers of prestigious fashion magazines and appeared in several Nepali and Indian films.
The name Puja carries a deep spiritual and cultural significance in the Indian subcontinent, symbolizing devotion, reverence, and a connection with the divine. Its usage can be traced back to ancient times, and it continues to be a popular name choice for families in India, Nepal, and other regions influenced by Hindu traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Puja over time
The chart below shows babies named Puja registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2014. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Puja, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2014, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Puja by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Puja 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 | #4684 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3484 | 33 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2256 | 29 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Puja
- 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
Puja: questions and answers
How popular is the name Puja in the UK right now?
In 2014, Puja was ranked #4684 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Puja most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 12 babies registered as Puja in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Puja?
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "prayer" or "worship".
How many people are called Puja in the UK?
A total of 66 babies have been registered as Puja across the 12 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.