UK name, mostly boys
Surya
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "the sun".
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.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 25 girls.
Surya is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Surya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1951, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 12 births.
This profile covers 120 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2001 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.
Surya is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 119 living people in the UK are called Surya. 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
- • Surya ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 12 boys were registered as Surya.
- • Surya is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 119 living people in the UK are estimated to have Surya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 82.8% of Surya registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1951
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2024
12 births
Estimated living
119
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Surya
In England and Wales birth records, Surya has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 82.8% of registrations are for boys and 17.2% 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.
Surya registered for boys
- Ranked #1,951 in 2024
- 12 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (12 births)
Surya registered for girls
- Ranked #5,687 in 2023
- 3 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2007 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Surya mean?
The name Surya has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that emerged in the Indian subcontinent around the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "surya," which means "sun" or "the sun god." The name is closely associated with Hinduism, where Surya is revered as the sun deity and a major vedic god.
In Hindu mythology, Surya is depicted as a resplendent figure riding a chariot drawn by seven horses, representing the seven days of the week. He is described as the source of light, warmth, and life, and is celebrated in various Hindu scriptures, including the Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas. The Surya Siddhanta, an ancient Indian treatise on astronomy and mathematics, is named after this deity.
One of the earliest known references to the name Surya can be found in the Rigveda, a collection of sacred Hindu hymns composed around 1500-1000 BCE. The Rigveda contains several hymns dedicated to Surya, praising his radiance and power.
Throughout history, the name Surya has been borne by several notable figures. One of the earliest was Surya Siddhanta, an Indian astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 4th or 5th century CE and is credited with authoring the eponymous treatise on astronomy. In the 7th century CE, the Indian philosopher and logician Surya Narayana Diksita made significant contributions to the development of Hindu philosophy.
During the medieval period, Surya Mal, a ruler of the Gohad state in central India (born around 1530 CE), was known for his military prowess and architectural contributions. In the 18th century, Surya Sen (1894-1934) was a prominent Indian revolutionary who fought against British colonial rule.
More recently, Surya Bonaly (born 1973) is a French figure skater and three-time world silver medalist, renowned for her athletic prowess and pioneering backflip on ice.
While the name Surya has been predominantly used in Hindu communities, its association with the sun and its radiant qualities have made it a popular choice across various cultures and regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Surya over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Surya in England and Wales, from 2001 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 Surya, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Surya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Surya 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 | #2649 | 39 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3224 | 44 | 8 |
| 2000s | #2802 | 37 | 6 |
Related
Names similar to Surya
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Surya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Surya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Surya was ranked #1951 for boys in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Surya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 12 babies registered as Surya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Surya?
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "the sun".
How many people are called Surya in the UK?
A total of 120 babies have been registered as Surya across the 19 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.