UK boy's name
Caine
A traditional masculine name originating from Hebrew with origins in the biblical Cain.
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.
Caine is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Caine popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 80 births.
This profile covers 758 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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.
The latest count is about 6% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 751 living people in the UK are called Caine. 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
- • Caine ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 80 boys were registered as Caine.
- • About 751 living people in the UK are estimated to have Caine as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2001
80 births
Estimated living
751
2026
Meaning
What does Caine mean?
The name Caine has its origins in the Biblical story of Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. It is derived from the Hebrew word "qanah", meaning "to acquire" or "to possess". The name has been used for centuries, appearing in various forms and spellings across different cultures.
In ancient Hebrew texts, Cain is portrayed as a farmer who became the first murderer after killing his brother Abel out of jealousy. The story of Cain and Abel is found in the Book of Genesis and is considered one of the most significant narratives in Judeo-Christian tradition.
The name Caine gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in England and other parts of Europe. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Caine de Caen, a Norman nobleman who lived in the 11th century and fought alongside William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Caine. In the 17th century, Caine Scudamore (1609-1668) was an English landowner and politician who served as a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War. Sir Caine Rainsford (1610-1684) was an English diplomat and historian who served as the envoy to Constantinople during the reign of King Charles II.
In the literary world, Caine was the pen name of the British author Thomas Henry Hall Caine (1853-1931), who wrote several popular novels, including "The Manxman" and "The Eternal City". He was also a prominent figure in the Manx cultural revival movement.
Another famous bearer of the name was Caine Mutiny, an American naval officer who served in World War II and whose court-martial trial for mutiny inspired the 1951 novel "The Caine Mutiny" by Herman Wouk. The novel was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film starring Humphrey Bogart.
In the world of sports, Caine Eckstein (born 1976) is a former American football player who had a successful career in the National Football League, playing as a running back for several teams, including the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Caine over time
The chart below shows babies named Caine 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 Caine, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 80 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Caine by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Caine 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 | #2915 | 35 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2120 | 117 | 10 |
| 2000s | #677 | 410 | 10 |
| 1990s | #432 | 196 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Caine
- 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
Caine: questions and answers
How popular is the name Caine in the UK right now?
In 2024, Caine was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Caine most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 80 babies registered as Caine in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Caine?
A traditional masculine name originating from Hebrew with origins in the biblical Cain.
How many people are called Caine in the UK?
A total of 758 babies have been registered as Caine across the 29 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.