Arya
Arya, also spelled Aarya, Aariya or Ariya is a name of Indo-Iranian origin. It traces back to the ethnonym and endonym Arya, used by the Indo-Iranians to identify themselves. In both Sanskrit and Avestan, Arya refers to those viewed as a part of a civilized or morally distinguished group, contrasting with non-Aryans.
Meaning & Origin of Arya
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Arya, also spelled Aarya, Aariya or Ariya is a name of Indo-Iranian origin. It traces back to the ethnonym and endonym Arya, used by the Indo-Iranians to identify themselves. In both Sanskrit and Avestan, Arya refers to those viewed as a part of a civilized or morally distinguished group, contrasting with non-Aryans.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Arya
As a girl name
Arya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1986, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2019, when 3,050 Aryas were born — ranking #92 that year. As of 2026, Arya ranks #170 for girls with 1,798 births, falling sharply (-21%). In total, more than 31K Aryas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Arya first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1982, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 114 Aryas were born — ranking #1,445 that year. As of 2026, Arya ranks #2,272 for boys with 63 births, rising sharply (+28% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Aryas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Arya
Phonetically similar names — useful when Arya is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Arya
What does the name Arya mean?
How popular is Arya in 2026?
When was Arya most popular?
In which U.S. states is Arya most popular?
Is Arya a unisex name?
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About the name Arya
Arya is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1986 and has accumulated 31K births in the dataset. Arya's peak popularity came in 2019 when it ranked #92. Use the chart and map above to compare Arya's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2019 →
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- Names starting with "A" →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.