Uniyah
A feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "precious, unique".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Uniyah. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Uniyah today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Uniyah births was 2006 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Uniyah. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Uniyah. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
2006
8 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2006 SSA rank
#13,540
Tracked since 2006
Popularity
Uniyah: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Uniyah 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 Uniyah during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0 | 8 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Uniyah
The given name Uniyah is a relatively modern and uncommon name with uncertain origins. It appears to be a variation of the name Anya, which has roots in various cultures and languages.
One possible origin is the Russian name Anya, a diminutive of the name Anna, derived from the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning "grace" or "favor." Anya has been a popular name in Russia and other Slavic countries for centuries.
Another potential source is the Sanskrit name Anaya, which means "limitless" or "endless." This name is found in Indian cultures and may have influenced the development of the name Uniyah.
While there are no definitive historical references or ancient texts mentioning the exact name Uniyah, it may have emerged as a creative combination of elements from different cultural traditions.
The earliest recorded examples of the name Uniyah are relatively recent, likely appearing in the late 20th or early 21st century. It is difficult to pinpoint the first use of this name, as it is not as widely documented as more traditional names.
Throughout history, there are a few notable individuals who have carried variations of this name, although not the exact spelling of Uniyah:
1. Anya Seton (1904-1990), an American novelist and historical fiction writer known for works like "Katherine" and "The Winthrop Woman."
2. Anya Taylor-Joy (born 1996), an American-British actress known for her roles in films like "The Witch," "Split," and "Emma."
3. Anya Chalotra (born 1996), a British actress who portrays Yennefer of Vengerberg in the Netflix series "The Witcher."
4. Anya Bukstein (born 1989), an Israeli actress and model known for her work in Israeli television shows and films.
5. Anya Ayoung-Chee (born 1982), a Trinidadian fashion designer and former Miss Universe (2008) from Trinidad and Tobago.
While the name Uniyah may not have a long historical legacy, it represents a modern trend of creating unique and distinctive names by blending cultural influences and linguistic elements. Its meaning and significance remain open to interpretation, reflecting the diversity and creativity of contemporary naming practices.
People
Uniyah + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Uniyah as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with U
Other first names starting with U with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Uniyah: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Uniyah?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Uniyah 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 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Uniyah a common name?
We classify Uniyah as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Uniyah most popular?
The single biggest year for Uniyah was 2006, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Uniyah is about 20 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 Uniyah in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Uniyah a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Uniyah 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 Uniyah still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Uniyah 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 Uniyah 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 have Uniyah as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.