UK boy's name
Arjun
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "bright" or "shining".
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.
Arjun is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arjun popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #367, with 118 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 197 births.
This profile covers 3,861 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 3,891 living people in the UK are called Arjun. 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
- • Arjun ranked #367 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 118 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 197 boys were registered as Arjun.
- • Arjun ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #390 in 2009.
- • About 3,891 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arjun as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#367
2024
Births in 2024
118
Latest year
Peak year
2014
197 births
Estimated living
3,891
2026
Meaning
What does Arjun mean?
The name Arjun has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that was predominant in the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "arjuna," which means "bright," "shining," or "silver." The name is believed to have been in use since the Vedic period, which spans from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
One of the earliest and most significant references to the name Arjun can be found in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. In this ancient Sanskrit text, Arjun (or Arjuna) is the name of one of the central characters, a skilled archer and warrior who was part of the Pandava brothers. His story and role in the Mahabharata have made the name Arjun a popular choice among Hindus, particularly in India.
The earliest recorded use of the name Arjun can be traced back to around the 5th century BCE. One of the most famous historical figures with this name was Arjun Dev (1035-1094 CE), a ruler of the Paramara dynasty who reigned over the region of Malwa in central India. He was known for his military conquests and his patronage of art and literature.
Another notable bearer of the name was Arjun Singh (1503-1530 CE), a military leader and the founder of the Bundela Rajput clan in the northern Indian region of Bundelkhand. He played a significant role in establishing the Bundela kingdom and is remembered for his bravery and leadership skills.
In more recent history, Arjun Singh (1930-2011) was an Indian politician who served as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and later as the Minister of Human Resource Development in the Indian government. He was known for his efforts to promote education and social welfare initiatives.
Arjun Atwal (born 1973) is a professional golfer from India who has won several tournaments on the PGA Tour and the Asian Tour. He became the first Indian-born player to win on the PGA Tour when he captured the Wyndham Championship in 2010.
The name Arjun has been popular across various regions of India, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. Its strong connection to Hindu mythology and its association with valor, strength, and nobility have contributed to its widespread use over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arjun over time
The chart below shows babies named Arjun registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 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 Arjun, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 118 births in 2024, compared with 197 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arjun by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arjun 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 | #374 | 573 | 5 |
| 2010s | #284 | 1,712 | 10 |
| 2000s | #277 | 1,240 | 10 |
| 1990s | #309 | 336 | 4 |
Geography
Where Arjun is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Arjun. 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.
Arjun ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #390 in 2009.
Across the UK
Arjun in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#478 in 2024
12 years of NRS records, 55 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#390 in 2009
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Arjun
-
Arjun Mathur
actor
Indian actor
1981-
Related
Names similar to Arjun
- 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
Arjun: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arjun in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arjun was ranked #367 for boys in England and Wales, with 118 births registered.
When was Arjun most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 197 babies registered as Arjun in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arjun?
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "bright" or "shining".
How many people are called Arjun in the UK?
A total of 3,861 babies have been registered as Arjun across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 55 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Arjun most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Arjun ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #390 in 2009. 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.