Milaya
A feminine Russian name meaning "lovely" or "charming".
Name Census estimates that about 341 living Americans carry the first name Milaya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Milaya today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Milaya births was 2024 (38 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Milaya. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Milaya with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
341
~ 1 in 1,005,145 Americans
Peak year
2024
38 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,928
Tracked since 1998
Popularity
Milaya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Milaya from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 174 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Milaya remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Milaya by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Milaya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Milayas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Milaya
The given name Milaya has its roots in the Slavic languages, particularly Russian and Ukrainian. It is a feminine name derived from the Russian word "milaya," meaning "lovely," "sweet," or "dear." The name's origin can be traced back to the 19th century when it began to gain popularity in Russia and other Slavic-speaking regions.
In Russian literature, the name Milaya was often used as a term of endearment, especially in romantic works. It was a common way for lovers to address each other, expressing their affection and adoration. This association with love and tenderness likely contributed to the name's appeal and its eventual adoption as a given name.
One of the earliest known historical references to the name Milaya can be found in the works of the famous Russian poet Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837). In his poetry, Pushkin frequently used the term "milaya" to address his beloved, further popularizing its usage and romantic connotations.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Milaya. One of the earliest recorded examples is Milaya Nikiforovna (1840-1919), a Russian noblewoman and philanthropist known for her charitable work and support of education in rural areas.
Another significant figure was Milaya Korkunova (1905-1997), a Soviet actress and theater director who gained fame for her performances in various plays and films during the mid-20th century.
In the realm of literature, Milaya Zelenskaya (1916-2005) was a prominent Russian writer and poet, known for her lyrical works that explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
Moving into the 20th century, Milaya Dmitrievna (1925-2010) was a renowned Soviet and Russian ballet dancer who performed with the Bolshoi Ballet for over three decades, leaving a lasting impact on the world of dance.
More recently, Milaya Khovrina (1966-present) is a contemporary Russian artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited in galleries across Europe and Russia, garnering critical acclaim for her unique artistic vision.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Milaya, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural and artistic expression.
People
Milaya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Milaya as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Milaya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Milaya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 341 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Milaya going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,005,145 US residents.
Is Milaya a common name?
We classify Milaya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 344 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Milaya most popular?
The single biggest year for Milaya was 2024, when 38 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Milaya is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Milaya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Milaya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Milaya in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Milaya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Milaya in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Milaya can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Milaya?
You can see how many people share the name Milaya on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.