UK name, mostly girls
Rama
A Sanskrit masculine name meaning "pleasing" or "source of joy".
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.
Rama is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Rama popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 7 births.
This profile covers 56 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1999 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 56 living people in the UK are called Rama. 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
- • Rama ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 7 girls were registered as Rama.
- • About 56 living people in the UK are estimated to have Rama as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 84.8% of Rama registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
7 births
Estimated living
56
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Rama
In England and Wales birth records, Rama has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 15.2% of registrations are for boys and 84.8% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Rama registered for boys
- Ranked #4,107 in 2023
- 4 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (4 births)
Rama registered for girls
- Ranked #5,891 in 2024
- 3 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2010 (7 births)
Meaning
What does Rama mean?
The name Rama has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "rama," which means "pleasing," "delightful," or "charming." The name holds significant importance in Hindu mythology and culture.
Rama is the central figure in the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana, which is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, composed around the 5th century BCE. The Ramayana narrates the journey of Rama, an avatar (incarnation) of the Hindu deity Vishnu, and his trials and tribulations in rescuing his wife, Sita, from the clutches of the demon king, Ravana.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rama can be found in the Rigveda, one of the four sacred canonical texts of Hinduism, composed between 1500-1000 BCE. The name appears in various other ancient Hindu scriptures, such as the Upanishads and the Puranas.
Throughout history, the name Rama has been borne by several notable figures, including:
1. Rama (born c. 7th century BCE), the legendary prince of Ayodhya and the protagonist of the Ramayana. 2. Rama I (1737-1809), the founder of the Chakri Dynasty and the first monarch of modern Thailand. 3. Rama V (1853-1910), also known as King Chulalongkorn, a revered monarch of Siam (modern-day Thailand) who is credited with significant reforms and modernization efforts. 4. Rama IX (1927-2016), also known as King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, who was deeply revered by the Thai people. 5. Rama Varma XV (1901-1991), the last ruling maharaja of the Indian princely state of Travancore (modern-day Kerala).
The name Rama has also been used by several other historical figures, including kings, poets, and scholars from various parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia, where the influence of Hindu culture and mythology has been significant.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Rama over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Rama in England and Wales, from 1999 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 Rama, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Rama by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Rama 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 | #4926 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3720 | 23 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3839 | 22 | 5 |
| 1990s | #3900 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Rama
- Ruby 60,551
- Rebecca 45,764
- Rosie 35,558
- Rachel 19,034
- Rose 18,043
- Robyn 14,556
- Rosa 6,236
- Rhiannon 6,180
- Rachael 4,702
- Rebekah 4,395
- Rhianna 4,177
- Ruth 4,118
FAQ
Rama: questions and answers
How popular is the name Rama in the UK right now?
In 2024, Rama was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Rama most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 7 babies registered as Rama in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Rama?
A Sanskrit masculine name meaning "pleasing" or "source of joy".
How many people are called Rama in the UK?
A total of 56 babies have been registered as Rama 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.