The first name Daya
A girl’s name from Sanskrit meaning “pity”, “mercy”, “compassion”.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Sanskrit origin
Daya means “pity”, “mercy”, “compassion” in Sanskrit.
Borrowed from Sanskrit दया (dayā, “pity, mercy, compassion”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 30 girls were named Daya, making it the 1,110th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2024, with 39 births (#918).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Daya with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Daya at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 43 girls born in the United States were named Daya, the 3,535th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2018, when 52 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Daya in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
More Sanskrit girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Daya mean?
- Daya means “pity”, “mercy”, “compassion” in Sanskrit.
- What is the origin of the name Daya?
- Borrowed from Sanskrit दया (dayā, “pity, mercy, compassion”).
- How popular is the name Daya?
- In 2025, 30 girls born in England and Wales were named Daya, ranking 1,110th. Its peak was 2024, with 39 births.
- Is Daya a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 935 US babies named Daya since 1880 were girls.
- When was Daya most popular?
- 2018 in the United States, when 52 babies were named Daya, its highest rank at 3,119th.