Aya
A female given name from Japanese.
Every Aya since 1972 — 7,987 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Aya
Aya is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #644 in 2025 with 449 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1972, 7,987 American babies have been named Aya. Its peak came in 2024, when 469 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Aya stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Aya year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 449 | #644 |
| 2024 | 469 | #630 |
| 2023 | 415 | #695 |
| 2022 | 388 | #746 |
| 2021 | 351 | #803 |
| 2020 | 345 | #789 |
| 2019 | 384 | #738 |
| 2018 | 368 | #749 |
| 2017 | 350 | #785 |
| 2016 | 327 | #861 |
| 2015 | 309 | #893 |
| 2014 | 272 | #982 |
| 2013 | 236 | #1,048 |
| 2012 | 253 | #1,001 |
| 2011 | 222 | #1,111 |
| 2010 | 235 | #1,056 |
| 2009 | 214 | #1,175 |
| 2008 | 209 | #1,216 |
| 2007 | 206 | #1,215 |
| 2006 | 176 | #1,328 |
| 2005 | 179 | #1,259 |
| 2004 | 176 | #1,240 |
| 2003 | 161 | #1,291 |
| 2002 | 177 | #1,162 |
| 2001 | 171 | #1,193 |
| 2000 | 110 | #1,602 |
| 1995 | 58 | #2,282 |
| 1990 | 36 | #3,079 |
| 1985 | 17 | #4,472 |
| 1980 | 13 | #5,261 |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Aya
- Aya Hisakawa Actor · b. 1968
- Aya Nakamura Singer · b. 1995
- Aya Ueto Actor · b. 1985
- Aya Hirano Actor · b. 1987
- Aya Matsuura Singer · b. 1986
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Aya mean?
A female given name from Japanese.
How popular is the name Aya in 2025?
Aya ranked #644 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 449 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Aya?
7,987 babies have been named Aya in the United States since 1972, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Aya most popular?
Aya peaked in 2024, when 469 newborns received the name.
Is Aya a boy or girl name?
Aya is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Aya rising or falling?
Aya is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Aya?
Well-known people named Aya include Aya Hisakawa (actor), Aya Nakamura (singer), Aya Ueto (actor).