UK boy's name
Bishop
An English masculine name derived from an ecclesiastical title.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Bishop is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Bishop popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4527, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2009 to 2009. 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.
Bishop is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Bishop. 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 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Bishop ranked #4527 for boys in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 3 boys were registered as Bishop.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bishop as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4527
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Bishop mean?
The name Bishop is an English given name derived from the ecclesiastical title of the same spelling. It originated as an occupational surname in medieval England, referring to a person who held the rank of bishop in the Christian church hierarchy.
The word "bishop" itself comes from the Greek word "episkopos," which means "overseer" or "guardian." This Greek term was adopted into Late Latin as "episcopus" and eventually made its way into Old English as "biscop" or "bisceop." Over time, the spelling evolved into the modern English form, "bishop."
In the early days of Christianity, bishops held significant authority and played a crucial role in the governance and spiritual leadership of the church. As a result, the title "bishop" became associated with respect and prestige, which may have contributed to its adoption as a given name.
The earliest recorded use of Bishop as a first name dates back to the 13th century in England. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Bishop of Norwich, a 13th-century English prelate who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1236 to 1257.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bishop, including:
1. Bishop Wilkins (1614-1672), an English mathematician, philosopher, and one of the founders of the Royal Society. 2. Bishop Burnet (1635-1715), a Scottish theologian and historian who served as the Bishop of Salisbury. 3. Bishop Berkeley (1685-1753), an Irish philosopher and Anglican bishop best known for his philosophical works on idealism. 4. Bishop Spong (1931-2021), a retired American bishop of the Episcopal Church and a prominent voice in progressive Christianity. 5. Bishop Desmond Tutu (1931-2021), a South African Anglican bishop and theologian who received the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end apartheid in South Africa.
While the name Bishop has its origins in the Christian faith and the ecclesiastical hierarchy, it has since been adopted as a given name by individuals from various backgrounds, transcending its original religious connotations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Bishop by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bishop 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #4527 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Bishop
- 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
Bishop: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bishop in the UK right now?
In 2009, Bishop was ranked #4527 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Bishop most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 3 babies registered as Bishop in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bishop?
An English masculine name derived from an ecclesiastical title.
How many people are called Bishop in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Bishop across the 1 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.