UK name, mostly girls
Anh
A masculine Vietnamese name meaning "elder brother" or "respected person".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 121 boys.
Anh is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Anh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5687, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 12 births.
This profile covers 128 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1998 to 2023. 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 127 living people in the UK are called Anh. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Anh ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 12 girls were registered as Anh.
- • Anh is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 127 living people in the UK are estimated to have Anh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 51.4% of Anh registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5687
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
12 births
Estimated living
127
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Anh
In England and Wales birth records, Anh has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 48.6% of registrations are for boys and 51.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Anh registered for boys
- Ranked #3,254 in 2024
- 6 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2015 (10 births)
Anh registered for girls
- Ranked #5,687 in 2023
- 3 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2009 (12 births)
Meaning
What does Anh mean?
The name Anh has its origins in the Vietnamese language and culture. It is a unisex name that can be given to both boys and girls. The name is thought to have its roots in the ancient Vietnamese word "anh" which means "older brother" or "elder sibling."
In Vietnamese culture, the concept of respecting and honoring elders and those in positions of authority is deeply ingrained. Naming a child Anh was a way of bestowing a sense of respect and reverence upon them, as well as conveying the expectation that they would grow up to be a role model and a leader within their community.
The name Anh can be traced back to ancient Vietnamese texts and historical records dating back to the 3rd century CE. Some of the earliest known references to the name are found in the writings of Buddhist monks and scholars from this time period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Anh was Anh Duong, a Vietnamese princess who lived in the 7th century CE. She was known for her beauty, intelligence, and her contributions to the arts and literature of her time.
Another notable historical figure with the name Anh was Anh Ton, a Vietnamese emperor who ruled from 1293 to 1314 CE. He was renowned for his efforts to strengthen and modernize the Vietnamese military, as well as for his patronage of the arts and scholarship.
In the 15th century, there was a renowned Vietnamese scholar and poet named Anh Nguyen. His works were highly influential in shaping the development of Vietnamese literature and poetry during this period.
In more recent history, one of the most famous individuals with the name Anh was Anh Dao, a Vietnamese revolutionary and activist who played a significant role in the fight for Vietnamese independence from French colonial rule in the early 20th century.
Another notable figure was Anh Duong, a Vietnamese-American artist and fashion designer who became known for her avant-garde and experimental work in the 1980s and 1990s. She was a prominent figure in the New York art scene during this time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Anh over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Anh in England and Wales, from 1998 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 Anh, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Anh by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Anh 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 | #4840 | 16 | 4 |
| 2010s | #3241 | 58 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3141 | 47 | 7 |
| 1990s | #3537 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Anh
- 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
Anh: questions and answers
How popular is the name Anh in the UK right now?
In 2023, Anh was ranked #5687 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Anh most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 12 babies registered as Anh in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Anh?
A masculine Vietnamese name meaning "elder brother" or "respected person".
How many people are called Anh in the UK?
A total of 128 babies have been registered as Anh across the 21 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.