UK girl's name
Vidya
A feminine Hindu name meaning "knowledge" or "education".
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.
Vidya is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Vidya popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 6 births.
This profile covers 42 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1996 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 42 living people in the UK are called Vidya. 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
- • Vidya ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 6 girls were registered as Vidya.
- • About 42 living people in the UK are estimated to have Vidya as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
6 births
Estimated living
42
2026
Meaning
What does Vidya mean?
The name Vidya is of Sanskrit origin and has its roots in ancient India. It derives from the Sanskrit word "vid" which means "to know" or "to understand". The name can be traced back to the Vedic period in Indian history, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
Vidya is a revered concept in Hinduism and is often personified as the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and learning. The name appears in various Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas, Upanishads, and the Puranas. In the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most significant Hindu texts, Vidya is equated with spiritual knowledge and is considered the path to moksha (liberation).
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Vidya can be found in the Rig Veda, one of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism. The Rig Veda, composed around 1500 BCE, contains hymns and prayers dedicated to various deities, including those extolling the virtues of Vidya.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Vidya. One such example is Vidya Bhushan Shukla (1877-1936), an Indian freedom fighter, journalist, and writer who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule.
Another prominent figure was Vidya Dhar Mahajan (1915-2006), an Indian historian and writer known for his works on ancient and medieval Indian history. His book "Ancient India" is considered a seminal text on the subject.
In the field of literature, Vidya Niwas Mishra (1926-1976) was a renowned Hindi poet and writer who received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1972 for his work "Swatantra Kahaniyan".
Vidya Balan (born 1978) is a celebrated Indian actress known for her powerful performances in critically acclaimed films such as "Parineeta", "The Dirty Picture", and "Kahaani". She has won numerous awards, including a National Film Award and several Filmfare Awards.
Vidya Sagar (1920-2011) was an Indian scientist and technologist who made significant contributions to the development of India's space program. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, for his pioneering work in the field of rocket propulsion.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Vidya over time
The chart below shows babies named Vidya 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 Vidya, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vidya by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Vidya 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 | #5183 | 11 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4443 | 18 | 4 |
| 2000s | #5434 | 9 | 3 |
| 1990s | #3126 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Vidya
- 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
Vidya: questions and answers
How popular is the name Vidya in the UK right now?
In 2024, Vidya was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Vidya most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 6 babies registered as Vidya in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Vidya?
A feminine Hindu name meaning "knowledge" or "education".
How many people are called Vidya in the UK?
A total of 42 babies have been registered as Vidya across the 11 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.