UK boy's name
Balin
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "mighty" or "strong".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Balin is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Balin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4749, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 5 births.
This profile covers 20 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2007 to 2018. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 20 living people in the UK are called Balin. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Balin ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 5 boys were registered as Balin.
- • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Balin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4749
2018
Births in 2018
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
5 births
Estimated living
20
2026
Meaning
What does Balin mean?
The name Balin has its origins in the Old Norse language, derived from the words "bal" meaning "fire" and "inn" meaning "friend" or "protector." It is believed to have been a popular name among the Vikings and Norse settlers during the 8th to 11th centuries AD in Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Balin appears in the Old Norse poem "Völuspá," which dates back to the 10th century. In this poem, Balin is mentioned as one of the dwarves who helped forge the legendary sword Gram. This association with dwarves and metalworking suggests that the name may have held significance in Norse mythology and folklore.
In the 12th century, the name Balin appears in the French romance "Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart" by Chrétien de Troyes. Here, Balin is depicted as a knight of King Arthur's Round Table who accidentally strikes a dolorous stroke that wounds the Fisher King and brings misfortune to the kingdom.
One of the most notable figures in history to bear the name Balin was Balin of Flanders (c. 1179 - 1227), a Flemish knight and crusader who participated in the Fifth Crusade and was renowned for his bravery and leadership. Another historical figure was Balin of Auvergne (c. 1240 - 1311), a French philosopher and scholar who wrote extensively on metaphysics and ethics.
During the Renaissance period, the name Balin was used by the English poet Edmund Spenser in his epic work "The Faerie Queene" (1590-1596), where he introduces a character named Balin, the Knight of Ill-Seized Armour. This literary reference helped to keep the name alive and in use during the 16th century.
In the 19th century, the name Balin gained renewed popularity after appearing in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, particularly in his novels "The Hobbit" (1937) and "The Lord of the Rings" (1954-1955). In these books, Balin is portrayed as a brave and noble dwarf lord who led an expedition to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Balin over time
The chart below shows babies named Balin registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Balin, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2018, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Balin by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Balin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4350 | 14 | 4 |
| 2000s | #4430 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Balin
- Benjamin 90,412
- Ben 36,356
- Bradley 30,230
- Brandon 26,411
- Billy 18,608
- Bobby 16,904
- Blake 16,337
- Bailey 16,014
- Brody 7,230
- Beau 6,722
- Barnaby 5,284
- Brodie 4,801
FAQ
Balin: questions and answers
How popular is the name Balin in the UK right now?
In 2018, Balin was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Balin most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 5 babies registered as Balin in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Balin?
A masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "mighty" or "strong".
How many people are called Balin in the UK?
A total of 20 babies have been registered as Balin across the 6 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.