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Origin, Meaning, And History of Arya
The name Arya originates from the Sanskrit word ‘arya,’ meaning ‘noble.’ It is derived from a Sanskrit surname and was used as a title of respect for people belonging to the higher class of society. It can also be treated as a variation of the Old Persian word ‘Ariya,’ also spelled as ‘Aryo’ or ‘Ario,’ meaning ‘honorable’ in the Indo-Iranian language. Additionally, it can be considered as a variation of Aria, which means ‘song’ and ‘melody’ in Italian and ‘lioness’ in Greek.
In ancient times, Hindus used to call themselves Arya, and their homeland was called Aryavarta. According to the Manusmriti, Aryavarta stretched from the Himalayas in the north to the sea in the south. The name Aryans was given to people who were thought to speak archaic-European languages and settled in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent and in Iran.
In Greek mythology, Aria, a variation of the name Arya, was a nymph of the Crete islands and the daughter of Cleochus. She was the mother of Miletus by Apollo. It is believed that when Aria gave birth to her son, she hid him, but he was found by Cleochus, who named him after the plant Miletus.
The name Arya has been a popular boy’s name in the Indian subcontinent for centuries and in West-African countries as well. The name has several variations, like Ariya, Aria, Aryo, and Aarya, with Ari, Riri, Rya, and Yaya as its nicknames.
In the US, Arya is a more popular name for girls than for boys and can be found in references to popular culture. The name Arya skyrocketed in popularity after the fictional character Arya Stark in the epic fantasy novel series “A Song Of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin. She is one of the main protagonists of the novel and in its adaptation of “Game Of Thrones,” is depicted as the youngest female child of the Stark family. Another fictional character named Arya Dröttning appears in the fantasy novel “The Inheritance Cycle” by Christopher Paolini. She is a teen princess and the primary love interest of Eragon.
How To Pronounce Arya?
Famous People With The Name Arya
- AryabhattaIndian mathematician and astronomer, inventor of zero
- Arya Nasimi ShadIranian swimmer, competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Arya PenangsangFormer King of the Sultanate of Demak
- Arya AramnejadIranian singer known for his song “Ali Barkhiz”
- Ary BarzanesPersian military commander who led the Persian army against Alexander The Great
Arya On The Popularity Chart
Arya has been a popular name in the US of late and is more popular as a girl’s name than boys. It gained popularity mainly after the 2000s as represented in the graph below.
Popularity Over Time
Arya was not a popular name in the US in the 1980s and 1990s but gained immense popularity in the 2000s with its soaring popularity coming in 2008 with 114 babies per million named Arya.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
In terms of ranking, the name Arya has seen a decline since the 80s. It recorded its lowest rank of 22081 in 2007.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Arya
The sound of Arya might have enchanted you, but you want to explore other options with a similar sound. Here are some options for you.
Names With Similar Meaning As Arya
If you are looking for a name that signifies nobility just like Arya, have a look at these names.
Name Numerology For Arya
