UK girl's name
Vania
Meaning "grace" or "favor" derived from the Slavic name variant Vanya.
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.
Vania is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Vania popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 9 births.
This profile covers 95 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 1999 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 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 95 living people in the UK are called Vania. 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
- • Vania ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 9 girls were registered as Vania.
- • About 95 living people in the UK are estimated to have Vania as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2008
9 births
Estimated living
95
2026
Meaning
What does Vania mean?
The name Vania is a variation of the names Ivan and Ivana, which have their origins in the Slavic languages. It is derived from the Greek name Ioannes, which means "Yahweh is gracious" or "God is gracious." This name was later Latinized as Johannes and spread throughout Europe during the Christian era.
The earliest recorded use of the name Vania dates back to the 9th century, when it was used in Bulgaria and other Slavic regions. It was a common name among the Bulgars, a semi-nomadic people who established the First Bulgarian Empire in the Balkan region.
In the 11th century, the name Vania appeared in ancient Russian texts, such as the Novgorod Birch Bark Documents. These documents were written on birch bark and served as a form of communication among the inhabitants of Novgorod, one of the oldest cities in Russia.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Vania. One of the earliest examples is Vania I, who ruled as the Tsar of Bulgaria from 1014 to 1018. He was known for his efforts to maintain the independence of the Bulgarian Empire against the Byzantine Empire.
Another famous bearer of the name was Vania Tsanova (1678-1728), a Bulgarian revolutionary who fought against Ottoman rule in the region. She is celebrated as a national heroine in Bulgaria for her role in the Chiprovtsi Uprising of 1688.
In the world of literature, Vania Zhemchuzhnikov (1785-1857) was a prominent Russian writer and poet. He was a member of the literary society Arzamas and is known for his contributions to the development of Russian romantic poetry.
In more recent times, Vania Stambolić (1936-2000) was a Serbian politician who served as the President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia from 1982 to 1983. He played a significant role in the political landscape of Yugoslavia during the years leading up to its dissolution.
Another notable figure is Vania King (born 1989), a former professional tennis player from the United States. She achieved a career-high ranking of No. 50 in singles and won several titles on the WTA Tour.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Vania over time
The chart below shows babies named Vania registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 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 Vania, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vania by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Vania 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 | #4703 | 13 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4157 | 42 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3541 | 37 | 7 |
| 1990s | #3900 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Vania
- 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
Vania: questions and answers
How popular is the name Vania in the UK right now?
In 2024, Vania was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Vania most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 9 babies registered as Vania in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Vania?
Meaning "grace" or "favor" derived from the Slavic name variant Vanya.
How many people are called Vania in the UK?
A total of 95 babies have been registered as Vania 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.