NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Shreya

A Sanskrit name meaning "distinguished, prosperous, virtuous".

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.

Shreya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Shreya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1894, with 15 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 89 births.

This profile covers 1,163 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 17% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,174 living people in the UK are called Shreya. 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

  • Shreya ranked #1894 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 15 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 89 girls were registered as Shreya.
  • Shreya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #397 in 2020.
  • About 1,174 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shreya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1894

2024

Births in 2024

15

Latest year

Peak year

2011

89 births

Estimated living

1,174

2026

Meaning

What does Shreya mean?

The name Shreya has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that served as the root of many modern Indian languages. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "shreyas," which means "auspicious" or "prosperous." The name first gained popularity in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in regions where Sanskrit and its derived languages were widely spoken.

Shreya can be traced back to ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, where it was sometimes used as a name or a reference to auspicious or fortunate events. In the Vedas, which are among the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, the word "shreyas" appears in various contexts, often signifying the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment or the attainment of higher knowledge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shreya can be found in the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic that dates back to around the 8th or 9th century BCE. In this epic, Shreya is mentioned as the name of a character, although her significance is relatively minor.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Shreya. One of the most famous was Shreya Ghoshal, an Indian playback singer who was born in 1984. Known for her melodious voice and versatility, she has lent her vocals to numerous Bollywood films and has won multiple awards for her contributions to Indian cinema.

Another prominent figure named Shreya was Shreya Singhal, an Indian student and activist who was born in 1986. She played a pivotal role in the landmark Supreme Court case that struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, a controversial law that criminalized certain online speech. Singhal's advocacy for free speech and digital rights earned her widespread recognition and praise.

In the realm of literature, Shreya Devi (1904-1981) was a renowned Bengali novelist and short story writer. Her works often explored themes of social injustice, gender inequality, and the complexities of human relationships. She was widely acclaimed for her literary contributions and received numerous accolades, including the Rabindra Puraskar, one of the highest literary honors in West Bengal.

Shreya Ghoshal (born 1963), an Indian classical dancer and choreographer, has also made a significant impact in the field of performing arts. Known for her expertise in Kathak, one of the major classical dance forms of India, she has performed extensively both nationally and internationally, and has been recognized with several prestigious awards.

In the field of sports, Shreya Hosali (born 1990) is an Indian cricketer who has represented her country in various international tournaments. She has been a part of the Indian women's cricket team and has played a crucial role in several victories, contributing with both her batting and fielding skills.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Shreya over time

The chart below shows babies named Shreya 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 Shreya, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 15 births in 2024, compared with 89 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Shreya
022456789199620102024

Decades

Shreya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shreya 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 #1373 121 5
2010s #797 512 10
2000s #689 474 10
1990s #1385 56 4

Geography

Where Shreya is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Shreya. 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.

Shreya ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #397 in 2020.

Northern Ireland
3
Scotland
3

Across the UK

Shreya in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#760 in 2022

3 years of NRS records, 11 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#397 in 2020

2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Shreya

  • Shreya Anil

    fencer

    British fencer

    1998-

Related

Names similar to Shreya

FAQ

Shreya: questions and answers

How popular is the name Shreya in the UK right now?

In 2024, Shreya was ranked #1894 for girls in England and Wales, with 15 births registered.

When was Shreya most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 89 babies registered as Shreya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Shreya?

A Sanskrit name meaning "distinguished, prosperous, virtuous".

How many people are called Shreya in the UK?

A total of 1,163 babies have been registered as Shreya across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 11 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Shreya most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Shreya ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #397 in 2020. 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.