UK girl's name
Agape
Signifying selfless, unconditional love and charity in Greek origin.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Agape is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Agape popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5581, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2014 to 2021. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Agape. 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 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Agape ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 4 girls were registered as Agape.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Agape as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5581
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
4 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Agape mean?
The name Agape has its origins in Ancient Greek, derived from the word "agapē" which means "love" in the sense of unconditional, self-sacrificing love. It is one of the four Greek words for love, with the others being "eros" (romantic love), "philia" (brotherly love), and "storge" (familial love). Agape was a significant concept in early Christian theology, representing the highest form of love and the unconditional love of God for humanity.
The name Agape is closely associated with Christianity and the teachings of the New Testament. In the First Epistle of John, it is written, "God is love (agape)." The concept of agape love is central to the teachings of Jesus Christ, emphasizing selfless, sacrificial love for others, even one's enemies. Agape was personified as a virtue in ancient Greek philosophy and was later adopted by early Christians as a representation of divine love.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Agape can be found in the ancient Christian text, the "Acts of Paul and Thecla," which dates back to the 2nd century AD. In this text, Thecla is described as a woman who embraced a life of chastity and "agape" (love) for God. The name Agape also appears in various early Christian writings, such as the works of Clement of Alexandria and Origen.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Agape. One of the earliest recorded was Agape of Sicily, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD and was executed for her faith during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Decius. Another early bearer of the name was Agape of Thessalonica, a Christian virgin and martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD and was tortured and executed for refusing to renounce her faith.
In the Byzantine era, there was Agape the Younger, a Christian saint and ascetic who lived in the 7th century AD and was renowned for her piety and devotion to God. During the Middle Ages, Agape of Palermo was a Christian martyr who lived in the 9th century AD and was executed for her faith during the Muslim conquest of Sicily.
In more recent times, Agape Alekova was a Bulgarian revolutionary and feminist who lived from 1861 to 1949 and played a significant role in the struggle for women's rights and national liberation in Bulgaria.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Agape over time
The chart below shows babies named Agape registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Agape, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Agape by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Agape 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 | #5581 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #5235 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Agape
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Agape: questions and answers
How popular is the name Agape in the UK right now?
In 2021, Agape was ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Agape most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 4 babies registered as Agape in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Agape?
Signifying selfless, unconditional love and charity in Greek origin.
How many people are called Agape in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Agape across the 3 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.