Home › Baby Names Directory › Arya
Arya
Pronounced AR-ee-uh /ˈɑːr.i.ə/High
Meaning: Noble; honorable — from Sanskrit ārya meaning noble, of high rankHigh
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Arya (also spelled Aria or Ariya) derives from the Sanskrit ārya, an ancient Indo-Iranian term meaning 'noble,' 'honorable,' or 'of high rank.' In the Vedic tradition, arya referred to members of the noble or respectable classes. The Persian word Ariya shares the same Proto-Indo-European root and is the source of the country name Iran (from Aryan).
In South Asian and Persian cultures, Arya has been used as a given name for both boys and girls for centuries. In the West, the name's profile was dramatically raised by the character Arya Stark in Game of Thrones (2011–2019). U.S. popularity for girls surged from 2011 onward, entering the top 100 by the mid-2010s.
Variations
Nicknames
Famous Bearers
- ★Arya Stark (fictional) (2011 (TV))Beloved character in HBO's Game of Thrones, credited with the name's surge in popularity.
If you like Arya…
Explore names like Arya
Frequently Asked
What does the name Arya mean?
Arya comes from the Sanskrit ārya meaning 'noble' or 'honorable,' an ancient Indo-Iranian term for a person of high rank.
How do you pronounce Arya?
Arya is pronounced AR-ee-uh /ˈɑːr.i.ə/ — three syllables with stress on the first.
Is Arya a boy or girl name?
Arya is used for both, but in the U.S. it is now predominantly a girl's name, largely due to the Game of Thrones character.
How popular is Arya?
Arya has been in the U.S. top 100 girls' names since the mid-2010s, driven largely by the popularity of Game of Thrones.