UK girl's name
Vanda
Of Scandinavian origin, meaning "wanderer" or "one who travels far".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Vanda is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Vanda popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4763, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2008 to 2016. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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.
Vanda is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 20 living people in the UK are called Vanda. 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 2017 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Vanda ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales in 2016, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 4 girls were registered as Vanda.
- • Vanda ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #516 in 1976.
- • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Vanda as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4763
2016
Births in 2016
4
Latest year
Peak year
2016
4 births
Estimated living
20
2026
Meaning
What does Vanda mean?
The name Vanda is of Sanskrit origin, derived from the word "vanda," which means "to praise" or "to honor." It is believed to have originated in ancient India, where it was used as a feminine name.
In Hindu mythology, Vanda is associated with the goddess Durga, who is revered as the embodiment of divine strength and protection. The name is mentioned in various ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Puranas and the Vedas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vanda can be found in the epic poem Mahabharata, where it is mentioned as the name of a princess. Additionally, there are references to women named Vanda in ancient Indian inscriptions and historical records dating back to the 3rd century BCE.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Vanda. One such figure is Vanda Gerty Samakya (1888-1968), an Indonesian painter and artist who is renowned for her vibrant depictions of Balinese culture and landscapes. Another prominent Vanda was Vanda Scaravelli (1908-1999), an Italian yoga teacher and author who developed her own method of practicing yoga based on gravity and releasing tension.
In the field of botany, the name Vanda is associated with a genus of orchids native to Southeast Asia and the East Indies. The Vanda orchid was named by William Roxburgh in 1819, likely inspired by the Sanskrit word "vanda" meaning "to praise," as these flowers were highly valued for their beauty and fragrance.
Vanda Aleksandra Obradović (1892-1975) was a Serbian mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the field of electromagnetism. She was the first female professor at the University of Belgrade and played a crucial role in advancing women's education in Serbia.
Vanda Polakova (1886-1962) was a Czech painter and illustrator known for her Art Nouveau style and her illustrations for children's books. Her vibrant and whimsical artwork captured the imagination of generations of young readers.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have borne the name Vanda, highlighting its rich cultural heritage and diverse applications across various fields.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Vanda over time
The chart below shows babies named Vanda registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Vanda, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2016, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vanda by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Vanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #5320 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #5545 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Vanda is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Vanda. 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.
Vanda ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #516 in 1976.
Across the UK
Vanda in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#516 in 1976
3 years of NRS records, 10 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Vanda
-
Vanda Cotterell
(died 2005)
1940-2005
-
Vanda Godsell
actor; film actor
British actress (1922-1990)
1922-1990
-
Vanda Gréville
actor; film actor
British actor (1908-1997)
1908-1997
Related
Names similar to Vanda
- Victoria 19,582
- Violet 14,594
- Vanessa 3,696
- Verity 3,437
- Valentina 2,969
- Vienna 2,077
- Vivienne 1,692
- Veronica 1,425
- Valerie 733
- Viktoria 696
- Vera 667
- Vivian 619
FAQ
Vanda: questions and answers
How popular is the name Vanda in the UK right now?
In 2016, Vanda was ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Vanda most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 4 babies registered as Vanda in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Vanda?
Of Scandinavian origin, meaning "wanderer" or "one who travels far".
How many people are called Vanda in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Vanda across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 10 more in Scotland.
Where is Vanda most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Vanda ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #516 in 1976. 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.