UK girl's name
Victoria
From Latin meaning "victory" or "conqueror," a feminine given name.
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.
Victoria is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Victoria popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #152, with 336 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 1,650 births.
This profile covers 19,582 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 20% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 26,868 living people in the UK are called Victoria. 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
- • Victoria ranked #152 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 336 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 1,650 girls were registered as Victoria.
- • Victoria ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 2024.
- • About 26,868 living people in the UK are estimated to have Victoria as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#152
2024
Births in 2024
336
Latest year
Peak year
1997
1,650 births
Estimated living
26,868
2026
Meaning
What does Victoria mean?
The name Victoria has its origins in the Latin language and can be traced back to the Roman era. It is derived from the Latin word "victor," which means "conqueror" or "victor." The name was initially used to honor Roman military victories and triumphs.
During the early Christian period, the name gained religious significance as it was associated with the concept of spiritual victory over sin and temptation. It became a popular name among Christian families who wished to bestow a meaning of triumph and overcoming obstacles.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Victoria can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Suetonius, who mentioned a woman named Victoria in his work "De Vita Caesarum" (Lives of the Caesars) from around 121 AD.
In the 4th century, a Christian martyr named Victoria of Avila was venerated for her steadfast faith and willingness to face persecution. Her story contributed to the popularity of the name among early Christians.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Victoria. One of the most famous is Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, who reigned from 1837 to 1901. Her reign witnessed the expansion of the British Empire and significant social and technological advancements.
Another prominent figure was Victoria Woodhull (1838-1927), an American leader in the women's suffrage movement and the first woman to run for President of the United States in 1872.
In the realm of literature, Victoria Ocampo (1890-1979) was an Argentine writer, publisher, and intellectual who helped promote Latin American literature on the international stage.
Victoria Abril (born 1959) is a renowned Spanish actress who has appeared in numerous films and received numerous awards for her performances.
Victoria Azarenka (born 1989) is a professional tennis player from Belarus who has won two Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Victoria over time
The chart below shows babies named Victoria registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Victoria, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 336 births in 2024, compared with 1,650 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Victoria by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Victoria 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 | #135 | 1,876 | 5 |
| 2010s | #100 | 5,532 | 10 |
| 2000s | #90 | 6,161 | 10 |
| 1990s | #38 | 6,013 | 4 |
Geography
Where Victoria is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Victoria. 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.
Victoria ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 2024.
Across the UK
Victoria in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#295 in 2024
51 years of NRS records, 6,649 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#302 in 2023
27 years of NISRA records, 862 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Victoria
-
Victoria Temple-Murray
squash player
British squash player
1994-
-
Victoria Williamson
bobsledder; track cyclist
British track cyclist and bobsledder
1993-
-
Victoria Williams
association football player
Jamaican association football player
1990-
-
Victoria Woodcock
British project manager
1987-
-
Victoria Thornley
rower
British rower
1987-
-
Victoria Valentine
news presenter; journalist; television presenter; broadcaster
British journalist, newsreader, and television presenter
1984-
-
Victoria Summer
singer; songwriter; film director; model; film actor
British singer-songwriter
1981-
-
Victoria Wilkinson
middle-distance runner
British runner
1978-
Related
Names similar to Victoria
- 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
- Viola 576
FAQ
Victoria: questions and answers
How popular is the name Victoria in the UK right now?
In 2024, Victoria was ranked #152 for girls in England and Wales, with 336 births registered.
When was Victoria most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 1,650 babies registered as Victoria in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Victoria?
From Latin meaning "victory" or "conqueror," a feminine given name.
How many people are called Victoria in the UK?
A total of 19,582 babies have been registered as Victoria across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6,649 more in Scotland and 862 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Victoria most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Victoria ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #295 in 2024. 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.