Girl nameCurrently #1,857 in the USFalling
Priya
PREE-yuh//ˈpriːjə//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20145 lettersStarts with P
Meaning & origin
Beloved, dear
Priya comes from the Sanskrit word for 'beloved' or 'dear one', widely used across India and South Asian communities. Its warm meaning and simple sound have made it increasingly familiar in English-speaking countries as well.
Priya's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Priya |
|---|---|
| 1969 | 8 |
| 1970 | 14 |
| 1971 | 15 |
| 1972 | 20 |
| 1973 | 18 |
| 1974 | 41 |
| 1975 | 36 |
| 1976 | 25 |
| 1977 | 34 |
| 1978 | 37 |
| 1979 | 68 |
| 1980 | 49 |
| 1981 | 63 |
| 1982 | 75 |
| 1983 | 66 |
| 1984 | 77 |
| 1985 | 81 |
| 1986 | 99 |
| 1987 | 96 |
| 1988 | 100 |
| 1989 | 102 |
| 1990 | 96 |
| 1991 | 127 |
| 1992 | 136 |
| 1993 | 106 |
| 1994 | 116 |
| 1995 | 143 |
| 1996 | 160 |
| 1997 | 142 |
| 1998 | 154 |
| 1999 | 162 |
| 2000 | 166 |
| 2001 | 192 |
| 2002 | 167 |
| 2003 | 188 |
| 2004 | 162 |
| 2005 | 171 |
| 2006 | 180 |
| 2007 | 176 |
| 2008 | 194 |
| 2009 | 149 |
| 2010 | 165 |
| 2011 | 150 |
| 2012 | 181 |
| 2013 | 205 |
| 2014 | 211 |
| 2015 | 171 |
| 2016 | 165 |
| 2017 | 141 |
| 2018 | 130 |
| 2019 | 131 |
| 2020 | 124 |
| 2021 | 121 |
| 2022 | 123 |
| 2023 | 124 |
| 2024 | 108 |
Priya through the decades
- Priya peaked in 2014, when 211 babies were named Priya in the US.
- The 2000s were Priya's strongest decade, averaging 175 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Priya has fallen 25% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Priya currently ranks #1,857 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Priya
Variants & spellings
Priyanka