UK girl's name
Saskia
A feminine name of Dutch origin meaning "valley".
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.
Saskia is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Saskia popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #676, with 56 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 383 births.
This profile covers 3,910 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 15% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 4,141 living people in the UK are called Saskia. 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
- • Saskia ranked #676 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 56 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 383 girls were registered as Saskia.
- • Saskia ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #451 in 2012.
- • About 4,141 living people in the UK are estimated to have Saskia as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#676
2024
Births in 2024
56
Latest year
Peak year
1999
383 births
Estimated living
4,141
2026
Meaning
What does Saskia mean?
Saskia is a feminine given name with Dutch origins. It is a diminutive form of the name Saskia, derived from the Germanic root name Sacko or Sakekin. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century in the region that is now the Netherlands.
The name Saskia is thought to be related to the Old Saxon word "sak," which means "quarrel" or "dispute." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a person who was argumentative or prone to quarreling. However, over time, the name lost this negative connotation and became a popular choice for girls in the Netherlands and other parts of Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Saskia is in the 17th century, when the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn famously painted his wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642). This connection to the renowned artist helped to popularize the name and establish it as a distinctly Dutch name.
Another notable Saskia in history was Saskia de Graaf (1930-2022), a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II. She played a crucial role in helping Allied pilots escape from occupied Netherlands and was awarded the Resistance Memorial Cross for her bravery.
In the literary world, Saskia Noort (born 1967) is a well-known Dutch author and screenwriter, best known for her psychological thrillers and crime novels. Her works have been translated into numerous languages and have earned her various literary awards.
Saskia Sassen (born 1949) is a renowned sociologist and professor who has made significant contributions to the study of globalization, immigration, and urban sociology. She is a recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the Prince of Asturias Award in Social Sciences.
Lastly, Saskia Saunders (born 1969) is a Canadian Olympic medalist in track and field. She won a bronze medal in the 4x400-meter relay at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and was inducted into the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Saskia, showcasing its enduring popularity and cultural significance, particularly in the Netherlands and among those of Dutch descent.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Saskia over time
The chart below shows babies named Saskia 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 Saskia, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 56 births in 2024, compared with 383 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saskia by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Saskia 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 | #695 | 269 | 5 |
| 2010s | #533 | 841 | 10 |
| 2000s | #266 | 1,795 | 10 |
| 1990s | #184 | 1,005 | 4 |
Geography
Where Saskia is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Saskia. 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.
Saskia ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #451 in 2012.
Across the UK
Saskia in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#790 in 2024
32 years of NRS records, 227 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#451 in 2012
7 years of NISRA records, 29 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Saskia
-
Saskia Budgett
rower
British rower
1996-
-
Saskia Sills
windsurfer
British windsurfer (born 1996)
1996-
-
Saskia Davies
badminton player
badminton player
1995-
-
Saskia Vaigncourt-Strallen
actor
British actress
1994-
-
Saskia Tidey
sailor
Irish sailor
1993-
-
Saskia Chana
actor
actress
1990-
-
Saskia Clark
skipper
British sailor
1979-
-
Saskia Wickham
actor
British actress
1967-
Related
Names similar to Saskia
- 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
Saskia: questions and answers
How popular is the name Saskia in the UK right now?
In 2024, Saskia was ranked #676 for girls in England and Wales, with 56 births registered.
When was Saskia most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 383 babies registered as Saskia in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Saskia?
A feminine name of Dutch origin meaning "valley".
How many people are called Saskia in the UK?
A total of 3,910 babies have been registered as Saskia across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 227 more in Scotland and 29 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Saskia most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Saskia ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #451 in 2012. 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.