UK boy's name
Arkan
An Arabic name meaning "pillar" or "foundation" of strength and support.
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.
Arkan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arkan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2443, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 9 births.
This profile covers 53 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 2008 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.
Arkan is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 53 living people in the UK are called Arkan. 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
- • Arkan ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 9 boys were registered as Arkan.
- • About 53 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arkan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2443
2024
Births in 2024
9
Latest year
Peak year
2024
9 births
Estimated living
53
2026
Meaning
What does Arkan mean?
The name Arkan is believed to have its origins in the Middle East, deriving from the Arabic word 'arkan', which means 'pillar' or 'support'. It is thought to have been in use since ancient times, with roots dating back to the pre-Islamic era in the Arabian Peninsula.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Arkan can be found in ancient Arabic texts and poetry. In the 6th century, a renowned Arab poet named Arkan bin Malik bin Qays al-Kindi was known for his eloquent verses and literary contributions.
During the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th century, the name Arkan gained popularity among Muslim communities. Some historical figures bearing this name include Arkan al-Ramli, a 13th-century Egyptian scholar and jurist, and Arkan al-Dawla, a 10th-century Persian military commander and ruler of the Buyid dynasty.
In the Ottoman Empire, the name Arkan was associated with strength and resilience. Arkan Pasha, a 17th-century Ottoman statesman and military leader, played a significant role in the empire's expansion and conquest of territories.
Moving forward in time, Arkan Simović, born in 1952 and died in 2000, was a Serbian criminal and paramilitary leader who gained notoriety during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. His actions during this period have left a controversial legacy.
Another notable figure with the name Arkan was Arkan Kariv, an Israeli military officer and politician born in 1930. He served in several prominent roles, including as a member of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) and as the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.
It's important to note that while the name Arkan has been associated with various historical figures, its meaning and cultural significance may vary across different regions and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arkan over time
The chart below shows babies named Arkan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 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 Arkan, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arkan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arkan 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 | #3047 | 32 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3988 | 16 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3158 | 5 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Arkan
- 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
Arkan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arkan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arkan was ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Arkan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 9 babies registered as Arkan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arkan?
An Arabic name meaning "pillar" or "foundation" of strength and support.
How many people are called Arkan in the UK?
A total of 53 babies have been registered as Arkan across the 10 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.