UK boy's name
Ares
Of Greek origin, meaning the god of war and courage.
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.
Ares is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ares popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #552, with 69 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 69 births.
This profile covers 341 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2009 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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.
Ares is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 351 living people in the UK are called Ares. 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
- • Ares ranked #552 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 69 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 69 boys were registered as Ares.
- • Ares ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #619 in 2024.
- • About 351 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ares as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#552
2024
Births in 2024
69
Latest year
Peak year
2024
69 births
Estimated living
351
2026
Meaning
What does Ares mean?
The name Ares has its roots in ancient Greek mythology and culture, tracing back to at least the 8th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word 'Arēs,' which means 'battle' or 'war.' Ares was the Greek god of war, one of the principal deities in the Greek pantheon.
The earliest known reference to the name Ares can be found in Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, written around the 8th century BC. In these ancient texts, Ares is portrayed as a fierce and violent god, often associated with bloodshed and destruction on the battlefield.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Ares was Ares of Miletus, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 5th century BC. He was known for his work on the nature of the soul and was a contemporary of Socrates.
In the 4th century BC, another notable figure named Ares emerged: Ares of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician and astronomer. He is credited with developing the first known sundial and contributing to the development of early astronomical instruments.
During the Hellenistic period, which lasted from the 4th century BC to the 1st century BC, the name Ares became more widely used among the Greek-speaking populations of the Mediterranean region.
In the 2nd century AD, Ares of Tralles was a prominent Greek philosopher and physician. He is known for his work on medical ethics and his contributions to the field of ophthalmology.
Another significant figure with the name Ares was Ares of Cyrene, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 4th century AD. He was a prominent figure in the Neoplatonic school of philosophy and made important contributions to the study of mathematics and logic.
Throughout the centuries, the name Ares has been used by various individuals across different cultures and regions, often associated with themes of strength, courage, and military prowess. While it may not be as popular today as it once was, the name remains a testament to the enduring influence of ancient Greek mythology and culture.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ares over time
The chart below shows babies named Ares registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2009 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 Ares, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 69 births in 2024, compared with 69 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ares by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ares 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 | #800 | 215 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2175 | 121 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3227 | 5 | 1 |
Geography
Where Ares is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ares. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Ares ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #619 in 2024.
Across the UK
Ares in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#619 in 2024
3 years of NRS records, 12 total registered
Related
Names similar to Ares
- 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
Ares: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ares in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ares was ranked #552 for boys in England and Wales, with 69 births registered.
When was Ares most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 69 babies registered as Ares in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ares?
Of Greek origin, meaning the god of war and courage.
How many people are called Ares in the UK?
A total of 341 babies have been registered as Ares across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 12 more in Scotland.
Where is Ares most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Ares ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #619 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.