UK girl's name
Sarayu
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "ever-flowing, divine river".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sarayu is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sarayu popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 6 births.
This profile covers 26 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2007 to 2022. 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 26 living people in the UK are called Sarayu. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sarayu ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 6 girls were registered as Sarayu.
- • About 26 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sarayu as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2013
6 births
Estimated living
26
2026
Meaning
What does Sarayu mean?
Sarayu is a name with origins tracing back to Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was the root of many modern Indian languages. The name's literal meaning translates to "a river" or "a stream" in Sanskrit. It is believed to have been derived from the combination of the words "sara" meaning "essence" or "stream" and "yu" meaning "to go" or "to flow."
The Sarayu River, a tributary of the Ghaghara River in northern India, is one of the earliest known references to this name. Mentioned in the Vedas, the oldest Hindu scriptures dating back to around 1500-500 BCE, the Sarayu River was revered as sacred and held significance in various Hindu texts and mythology.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Sarayu was Sarayu Muni, a renowned sage and author of the Sarayu Upanishad, a philosophical text within the Atharvaveda, one of the four Vedas. Sarayu Muni is believed to have lived around the 8th or 7th century BCE.
In Hindu mythology, Sarayu was also the name of a princess, the daughter of the sage Vishvamitra and the wife of the sage Rishi Richika. Their union resulted in the birth of the sage Harichandra, a legendary figure known for his unwavering commitment to truth and righteousness.
Another notable individual named Sarayu was Sarayu Devi, a 16th-century Assamese poet and writer who is considered one of the most influential figures in the early development of Assamese literature. Her birth and death dates are uncertain, but her works are still revered and studied today.
In more recent history, Sarayu Rai was a Nepalese writer and social activist who played a significant role in the literary and social movements of Nepal in the 20th century. She was born in 1920 and passed away in 1986, leaving behind a notable legacy of advocating for women's rights and social reform through her writing.
Sarayu Mohan was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who made significant contributions to the revival and promotion of the Bharatanatyam dance form in the 20th century. She was born in 1913 and passed away in 1998, having received numerous accolades and awards for her artistic achievements.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sarayu over time
The chart below shows babies named Sarayu registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sarayu, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sarayu by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sarayu 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 | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4848 | 20 | 5 |
| 2000s | #5201 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Sarayu
- 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
Sarayu: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sarayu in the UK right now?
In 2022, Sarayu was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sarayu most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 6 babies registered as Sarayu in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sarayu?
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "ever-flowing, divine river".
How many people are called Sarayu in the UK?
A total of 26 babies have been registered as Sarayu across the 7 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.