NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Yara

A feminine name with various meanings including "water lady" or "small butterfly".

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.

Yara is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Yara popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #341, with 127 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 127 births.

This profile covers 1,487 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.

Yara is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 1,542 living people in the UK are called Yara. 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

  • Yara ranked #341 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 127 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2024, when 127 girls were registered as Yara.
  • Yara ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #328 in 2023.
  • About 1,542 living people in the UK are estimated to have Yara as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#341

2024

Births in 2024

127

Latest year

Peak year

2024

127 births

Estimated living

1,542

2026

Meaning

What does Yara mean?

The name Yara is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was spoken in India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Yara," which means "beloved" or "friend." It is thought to have been in use as early as the 5th century BCE.

In Hindu mythology, Yara was the name of a beloved goddess who was revered for her beauty and grace. She was often depicted as a symbol of love and devotion, and her name became popular among those seeking to honor her.

The earliest recorded use of the name Yara dates back to the 6th century CE, when it was mentioned in ancient Hindu texts and scriptures. It was also a popular name among the Rajput warriors of ancient India, who were known for their bravery and valor.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Yara was a Hindu queen who ruled over the Chalukya dynasty in the 7th century CE. She was known for her strength and leadership, and her reign was marked by prosperity and peace.

Another notable figure with the name Yara was a renowned scholar and poet who lived in the 12th century CE. Her works were widely acclaimed for their depth and beauty, and she is considered one of the most influential writers of her time.

In the 16th century, there was a famous courtesan named Yara who was known for her beauty and wit. She was a prominent figure in the courts of the Mughal Empire and was renowned for her intelligence and charm.

During the 19th century, a revolutionary named Yara led a rebellion against the British colonial rule in India. She was a fierce advocate for independence and was eventually captured and executed for her actions.

Another notable individual with the name Yara was a renowned artist and sculptor who lived in the early 20th century. Her works were celebrated for their unique style and innovative techniques, and she is considered one of the pioneers of modern Indian art.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Yara over time

The chart below shows babies named Yara 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 Yara, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 127 births in 2024, compared with 127 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Yara
0326495127199620102024

Decades

Yara by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Yara 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 #389 554 5
2010s #659 629 10
2000s #1142 280 10
1990s #2494 24 4

Geography

Where Yara is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Yara. 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.

Yara ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #328 in 2023.

Scotland
10
Northern Ireland
4

Across the UK

Yara in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#333 in 2024

9 years of NRS records, 48 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#328 in 2023

4 years of NISRA records, 14 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Yara

  • Yara Rodrigues Fowler

    novelist

    British novelist

    1992-

  • Yara El-Sherbini

    artist

    British artist (born 1978)

    1978-

Related

Names similar to Yara

FAQ

Yara: questions and answers

How popular is the name Yara in the UK right now?

In 2024, Yara was ranked #341 for girls in England and Wales, with 127 births registered.

When was Yara most popular?

The peak year on record was 2024, with 127 babies registered as Yara in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Yara?

A feminine name with various meanings including "water lady" or "small butterfly".

How many people are called Yara in the UK?

A total of 1,487 babies have been registered as Yara across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 48 more in Scotland and 14 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Yara most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Yara ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #328 in 2023. 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.