UK girl's name
Sanya
Of Sanskrit origin, meaning "praise, appreciation, or glory".
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.
Sanya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sanya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 26 births.
This profile covers 324 England and Wales registrations across 27 recorded years from 1996 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 15% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 322 living people in the UK are called Sanya. 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
- • Sanya ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 26 girls were registered as Sanya.
- • About 322 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sanya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2000
26 births
Estimated living
322
2026
Meaning
What does Sanya mean?
The name Sanya has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that originated in the Indian subcontinent around 1500 BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "saniya," which means "to obtain" or "to acquire." The name has been used in various regions of South Asia for centuries.
In Hindu mythology, the name Sanya is associated with the god Kartikeya, also known as Murugan or Skanda, the deity of war and the son of Shiva and Parvati. The name appears in several ancient Hindu texts, including the Mahabharata and the Puranas, where it is mentioned in connection with the deity and his devotees.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Sanya is found in the Rigveda, one of the oldest and most revered Hindu scriptures, which dates back to around 1500-1200 BCE. The name is also mentioned in the Upanishads, a collection of philosophical texts that form the foundation of Hindu thought.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Sanya. One of the most famous was Sanyasi Revolt, an 18th-century Indian uprising against the British East India Company in Bengal, led by a group of Hindu and Muslim ascetics known as Sanyasis.
Another prominent figure was Sanya Dharmadhikari, an Indian lawyer, social reformer, and women's rights activist who lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was a pioneer in the movement for women's education and empowerment in India.
In the field of literature, Sanya Mishra was a renowned Hindi poet and writer who lived in the 20th century. Her works explored themes of social injustice, feminism, and the human condition.
Sanya Malhotra is a contemporary Indian actress who has gained recognition for her performances in several Bollywood films, including "Dangal" and "Badhaai Ho."
Sanya Mirza, an Indian tennis player, was one of the highest-ranked doubles players in the world during her career, winning numerous Grand Slam titles and representing India in international competitions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sanya over time
The chart below shows babies named Sanya 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 Sanya, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sanya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sanya 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 | #4653 | 13 | 3 |
| 2010s | #3789 | 64 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1456 | 168 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1044 | 79 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Sanya
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Sanya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sanya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sanya was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Sanya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 26 babies registered as Sanya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sanya?
Of Sanskrit origin, meaning "praise, appreciation, or glory".
How many people are called Sanya in the UK?
A total of 324 babies have been registered as Sanya across the 27 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.