UK boy's name
Achilles
A Greek masculine name relating to the Greek hero from Homer's Iliad.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Achilles is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Achilles popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1859, with 13 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 13 births.
This profile covers 118 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 2006 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 117 living people in the UK are called Achilles. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Achilles ranked #1859 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 13 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 13 boys were registered as Achilles.
- • About 117 living people in the UK are estimated to have Achilles as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1859
2024
Births in 2024
13
Latest year
Peak year
2022
13 births
Estimated living
117
2026
Meaning
What does Achilles mean?
The name Achilles is derived from the Greek word "achos", meaning pain or grief. It originates from ancient Greek mythology and literature, dating back to the 8th century BC. The name was borne by the legendary Greek hero Achilles, the central character of Homer's epic poem the Iliad.
Achilles was the son of the mortal Peleus and the nymph Thetis. According to the myth, his mother dipped him in the river Styx as an infant, making him invulnerable everywhere except for his heel, by which she held him. This weakness ultimately led to his demise during the Trojan War when he was struck by an arrow in the heel.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Achilles can be found in Homer's Iliad, which is believed to have been composed around the 8th century BC. The epic poem chronicles the events of the Trojan War and Achilles' pivotal role as the greatest warrior of the Greek army.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Achilles. In the 5th century BC, Achilles of Eretria was an ancient Greek painter renowned for his works depicting the Battle of Issus and the nuptials of Alexander the Great and Roxana. Another Achilles, from the island of Chios, was a renowned philosopher and scientist who lived in the 4th century BC.
During the Renaissance, the name Achilles gained popularity among European nobility. Achilles de Harlay (1536-1616) was a French statesman and the first president of the Parlement of Paris. Achilles Gasser (1592-1647) was a German physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.
In the 19th century, Achilles Renaud (1805-1881) was a French politician and journalist known for his support of democratic reforms. Achilles Ratti (1857-1939), later known as Pope Pius XI, was an Italian prelate who served as the head of the Catholic Church from 1922 until his death.
These are just a few examples of the many notable figures throughout history who have carried the name Achilles, which has been associated with strength, courage, and heroism due to its mythological origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Achilles over time
The chart below shows babies named Achilles registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2006 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Achilles, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 13 births in 2024, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Achilles by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Achilles was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1972 | 57 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3647 | 48 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3454 | 13 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Achilles
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Achilles: questions and answers
How popular is the name Achilles in the UK right now?
In 2024, Achilles was ranked #1859 for boys in England and Wales, with 13 births registered.
When was Achilles most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 13 babies registered as Achilles in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Achilles?
A Greek masculine name relating to the Greek hero from Homer's Iliad.
How many people are called Achilles in the UK?
A total of 118 babies have been registered as Achilles across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.