NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Swara

An Indian feminine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "musical note".

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.

Swara is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Swara popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 13 births.

This profile covers 127 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2008 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.

The latest count is about 77% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 126 living people in the UK are called Swara. 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

  • Swara ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2016, when 13 girls were registered as Swara.
  • About 126 living people in the UK are estimated to have Swara as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2574

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

2016

13 births

Estimated living

126

2026

Meaning

What does Swara mean?

The name Swara has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient language of India. It is derived from the word "swar" which means "sound" or "voice" in Sanskrit. The name Swara can be traced back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, where it was often used to refer to musical notes or tones.

In Hinduism, the concept of "swara" is closely tied to the idea of "nada brahma," which translates to "the divine sound" or "the cosmic vibration." This idea holds that the entire universe was created through sound vibrations, and that music and sound have a deep spiritual significance.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Swara can be found in the Natya Shastra, an ancient Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts, including music, dance, and drama. This text, believed to have been written between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE, discusses the concept of "swara" in great detail.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Swara. One of the earliest was Swara Bai, a renowned Indian classical singer and courtesan who lived in the 16th century during the Mughal era. She is considered one of the pioneers of the Thumri style of semi-classical vocal music.

Another notable Swara was Swara Puri, a 17th-century Indian mystic and poet who was a prominent figure in the Bhakti movement, a Hindu devotional tradition. Her poetry, written in the Brajbhasha language, is known for its devotional and spiritual themes.

In more recent times, Swara Bhaskar is an Indian actress and activist who has appeared in numerous Bollywood films and television shows. Born in 1988, she is known for her outspoken advocacy on various social and political issues.

Swara Narayanan is a contemporary Indian classical dancer and choreographer, born in 1979. She is renowned for her performances and choreography in the Bharatanatyam style, one of the major classical dance forms of India.

Swara Samrat was an Indian vocalist and musician who lived in the 18th century and was considered a master of the Dhrupad style of Hindustani classical music. He is credited with making significant contributions to the development and propagation of this ancient musical tradition.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Swara over time

The chart below shows babies named Swara registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 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 Swara, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 13 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Swara
0371013200820162024

Decades

Swara by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Swara 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 #3397 27 4
2010s #2698 96 10
2000s #4524 4 1

Related

Names similar to Swara

FAQ

Swara: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Swara was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Swara most popular?

The peak year on record was 2016, with 13 babies registered as Swara in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Swara?

An Indian feminine name derived from Sanskrit meaning "musical note".

How many people are called Swara in the UK?

A total of 127 babies have been registered as Swara across the 15 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.