NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Blen

A feminine name meaning "beautiful" or "lovely" in Albanian.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Blen is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Blen popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5581, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 4 births.

This profile covers 20 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2005 to 2021. 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 75% 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 Blen. 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 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Blen ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 4 girls were registered as Blen.
  • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Blen as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5581

2021

Births in 2021

3

Latest year

Peak year

2005

4 births

Estimated living

20

2026

Meaning

What does Blen mean?

The given name Blen is believed to have originated from the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BC to 2000 BC. The name is derived from the Sumerian word "blen," which means "to shine" or "to radiate." It is possible that the name was initially given to individuals who were perceived as having a bright or radiant personality.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blen can be found in the Sumerian King List, an ancient manuscript that chronicles the rulers of various Sumerian city-states. The list mentions a king named Blen-Suen, who ruled over the city of Larsa in the 21st century BC. However, it is unclear whether this was a personal name or a title.

In ancient Sumerian mythology, there is a reference to a minor deity named Blen-Gal, who was associated with the protection of travelers and merchants. This deity was often invoked by those embarking on long journeys, seeking safe passage and prosperity in their ventures.

During the Neo-Babylonian period (626 BC to 539 BC), the name Blen appears to have gained popularity among the ruling class. One notable figure from this era was Blen-Apla-Iddina, a high-ranking official who served as the governor of the Babylonian province of Uruk around 550 BC.

In the field of ancient astronomy, there is a record of a Babylonian astrologer named Blen-Shar-Ibni, who lived during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (604 BC to 562 BC). He is credited with making significant contributions to the study of celestial bodies and their movements.

The name Blen also appears in several ancient Sumerian and Akkadian cuneiform tablets, which were used for recordkeeping and literary purposes. One notable example is the Blen Tablet, a clay tablet dating back to around 2300 BC, which contains a list of personal names and their meanings.

Throughout history, there have been several individuals who bore the name Blen, although their fame or significance may have been limited to specific regions or time periods. Some notable examples include Blen-Kash, a renowned sculptor from the city of Ur during the Neo-Sumerian period (2112 BC to 2004 BC), and Blen-Shamash, a high priest of the god Shamash in the city of Sippar during the Old Babylonian period (1894 BC to 1595 BC).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Blen over time

The chart below shows babies named Blen registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2005 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Blen, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Blen
01234200520132021

Decades

Blen by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Blen 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 #5581 3 1
2010s #5443 13 4
2000s #3970 4 1

Related

Names similar to Blen

FAQ

Blen: questions and answers

How popular is the name Blen in the UK right now?

In 2021, Blen was ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Blen most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 4 babies registered as Blen in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Blen?

A feminine name meaning "beautiful" or "lovely" in Albanian.

How many people are called Blen in the UK?

A total of 20 babies have been registered as Blen 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.