UK boy's name
Vinay
A masculine name of Hindu origin meaning "humble" or "modest".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Vinay is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Vinay popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4107, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 31 births.
This profile covers 370 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2023. 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 13% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 367 living people in the UK are called Vinay. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Vinay ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 31 boys were registered as Vinay.
- • About 367 living people in the UK are estimated to have Vinay as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4107
2023
Births in 2023
4
Latest year
Peak year
2000
31 births
Estimated living
367
2026
Meaning
What does Vinay mean?
The name Vinay has its origins in the Sanskrit language, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was spoken in the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "vinaya," which means "humility," "modesty," or "politeness." The name Vinay is believed to have been in use since ancient times, possibly as early as the 4th or 5th century BCE, during the Vedic period in India.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Vinay can be found in the ancient Hindu text, the Mahabharata, which is dated to around the 8th or 9th century BCE. The Mahabharata is a Sanskrit epic that includes numerous characters with the name Vinay, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.
In the 6th century CE, a famous Indian Buddhist philosopher named Vinayaka is mentioned in historical records. Vinayaka was known for his contributions to the study of Buddhist philosophy and logic.
During the medieval period in India, the name Vinay was associated with several prominent figures. One notable example is Vinay Pathak, a 13th-century Sanskrit scholar and poet from the Deccan region of India.
In more recent times, there have been several individuals with the name Vinay who have achieved recognition in various fields. Vinay Pathak, born in 1968, is a renowned Indian actor and has appeared in numerous Bollywood films and television shows.
Another notable figure with the name Vinay is Vinay Rai, an Indian mountaineer who has successfully summited several of the world's highest peaks, including Mount Everest and K2.
Vinay Katiyar, born in 1952, is an Indian politician and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He has served as a member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament, representing the Faizabad constituency.
Vinay Shukla, born in 1937, was an acclaimed Indian film director and screenwriter known for his contributions to the Indian parallel cinema movement. Some of his notable works include "Khatta Meetha" and "Godfather."
Vinay Sharma, born in 1985, is an Indian cricketer who has represented India in various international tournaments, including the 2011 Cricket World Cup, where India emerged victorious.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Vinay over time
The chart below shows babies named Vinay registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Vinay, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2023, compared with 31 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Vinay by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Vinay 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 | #4501 | 10 | 3 |
| 2010s | #2556 | 71 | 9 |
| 2000s | #1210 | 183 | 10 |
| 1990s | #636 | 106 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Vinay
- Vincent 7,753
- Vinnie 6,092
- Victor 4,279
- Vinny 1,401
- Veer 1,163
- Vihaan 948
- Valentino 883
- Viktor 706
- Vlad 677
- Vivaan 615
- Vincenzo 587
- Vladimir 541
FAQ
Vinay: questions and answers
How popular is the name Vinay in the UK right now?
In 2023, Vinay was ranked #4107 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Vinay most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 31 babies registered as Vinay in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Vinay?
A masculine name of Hindu origin meaning "humble" or "modest".
How many people are called Vinay in the UK?
A total of 370 babies have been registered as Vinay across the 26 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.