NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Suriya

A masculine name of Tamil origin meaning "the sun god".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Suriya is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Suriya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 7 births.

This profile covers 76 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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 76 living people in the UK are called Suriya. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Suriya ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1997, when 7 girls were registered as Suriya.
  • About 76 living people in the UK are estimated to have Suriya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 96.2% of Suriya registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5687

2023

Births in 2023

3

Latest year

Peak year

1997

7 births

Estimated living

76

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Suriya

In England and Wales birth records, Suriya has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 3.8% of registrations are for boys and 96.2% 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.

96% girls
Boys3 (3.8%)Girls76 (96.2%)

Suriya registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,647 in 2011
  • 3 boys registered in 2011
  • Peak: 2011 (3 births)

Suriya registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,687 in 2023
  • 3 girls registered in 2023
  • Peak: 1997 (7 births)

Meaning

What does Suriya mean?

The name Suriya originates from the Sanskrit language, which was spoken in ancient India and is the root language of many modern Indian languages. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "Surya," which means "sun" or "sun god." The name is closely associated with the Hindu deity Surya, who is revered as the sun god and is considered one of the most important deities in Hinduism.

The earliest known mention of the name Suriya can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and Puranas. In these texts, Suriya is often used as an epithet for the sun god Surya, who is described as the source of light, warmth, and life-giving energy.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Suriya was Suriya Siddhanta, an Indian astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 4th or 5th century CE. He is best known for his work on astronomy and for writing the Suriya Siddhanta, an influential treatise on Indian astronomy and mathematics.

Another notable historical figure with the name Suriya was Suriya Prakash, a 16th-century Indian poet and scholar from the Mughal Empire. He was renowned for his poetry and his contributions to the field of literature.

In the 18th century, Suriya Narain Rai was a prominent Indian ruler and founder of the Rai dynasty, which ruled over parts of present-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India.

During the 19th century, Suriya Kant Tripathi, also known as Nirala, was a celebrated Hindi poet and writer. He is considered one of the most influential figures in modern Hindi literature and is known for his innovative and experimental writing style.

In more recent times, Suriya is the name of a popular Indian actor and film producer, who has starred in numerous Tamil-language films and has won several awards for his acting abilities.

While the name Suriya has its roots in ancient Hindu culture and mythology, it has transcended its religious and cultural boundaries and is now used across various communities and regions, particularly in India and other parts of South Asia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Suriya over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Suriya in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Suriya, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
02579199620092023

Decades

Suriya by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Suriya 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 #5297 10 3
2010s #4560 22 5
2000s #4153 32 8
1990s #2418 12 2

Related

Names similar to Suriya

FAQ

Suriya: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Suriya was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Suriya most popular?

The peak year on record was 1997, with 7 babies registered as Suriya in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Suriya?

A masculine name of Tamil origin meaning "the sun god".

How many people are called Suriya in the UK?

A total of 76 babies have been registered as Suriya across the 18 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.