UK boy's name
Cain
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "spear" or "smith".
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.
Cain is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Cain popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1460, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 191 births.
This profile covers 2,092 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 9% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 2,407 living people in the UK are called Cain. 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
- • Cain ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 191 boys were registered as Cain.
- • Cain ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
- • About 2,407 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cain as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1460
2024
Births in 2024
18
Latest year
Peak year
2001
191 births
Estimated living
2,407
2026
Meaning
What does Cain mean?
The name Cain is derived from the Hebrew biblical name Qayin, meaning "spear" or "acquisition". It has its origins in the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible. Cain was the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, and the first human child born into the world according to the biblical account.
Cain is a prominent figure in the biblical narrative, known for being the first murderer. He killed his younger brother Abel out of jealousy after God favored Abel's offering over his own. As a result, Cain was cursed by God and condemned to a life of wandering. His name has become synonymous with fratricide and the concept of the "mark of Cain" has been interpreted as a sign of divine protection or a curse, depending on the tradition.
One of the earliest recorded individuals named Cain is Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, mentioned in the Book of Genesis, which is dated to around the 6th century BCE. However, the name likely predates the written account and may have been in use among ancient Semitic peoples.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cain. One example is Cain (Caino), a 13th-century Italian painter and architect from Siena, who worked on the Siena Cathedral and other notable buildings in the city.
Another notable Cain was Cain Marko, better known as the Juggernaut, a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #12 in 1965 and has since become a prominent figure in the Marvel Universe.
In literature, Cain is the name of a character in Lord Byron's narrative poem "Cain: A Mystery" (1821), which explores the biblical story of Cain and Abel from a different perspective.
In the realm of music, Cain is the name of an American rock band formed in the late 1990s, known for their hit singles "Confessions" and "Desire".
Finally, Cain Velasquez (born 1982) is a Mexican-American former professional mixed martial artist and former two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, known for his outstanding wrestling skills and powerful striking.
These are just a few examples of the notable figures throughout history who have borne the name Cain, a name deeply rooted in biblical tradition and carrying a significant symbolic weight.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cain over time
The chart below shows babies named Cain 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 Cain, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 191 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cain by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cain 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 | #1229 | 112 | 5 |
| 2010s | #638 | 574 | 10 |
| 2000s | #322 | 1,098 | 10 |
| 1990s | #326 | 308 | 4 |
Geography
Where Cain is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cain. 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.
Cain ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #404 in 2024.
Across the UK
Cain in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#619 in 2024
26 years of NRS records, 157 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#404 in 2024
26 years of NISRA records, 178 total registered
Related
Names similar to Cain
- Charlie 104,761
- Callum 65,796
- Connor 53,072
- Cameron 40,394
- Charles 33,091
- Christopher 26,849
- Caleb 15,553
- Corey 12,622
- Carter 11,505
- Cody 11,075
- Conor 10,298
- Christian 9,695
FAQ
Cain: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cain in the UK right now?
In 2024, Cain was ranked #1460 for boys in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.
When was Cain most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 191 babies registered as Cain in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cain?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "spear" or "smith".
How many people are called Cain in the UK?
A total of 2,092 babies have been registered as Cain across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 157 more in Scotland and 178 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Cain most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Cain ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #404 in 2024. 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.