NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Canon

An anglicized form of the Greek word "kanon" meaning "rule" or "standard".

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.

Canon is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Canon 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 2018, with 3 births.

This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2018 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.

Canon is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Canon. 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

  • Canon ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2018, when 3 boys were registered as Canon.
  • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Canon 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

2018

3 births

Estimated living

3

2026

Meaning

What does Canon mean?

The given name Canon is derived from the Greek word "kanon," which means "rule" or "standard." The name has its origins in ancient Greek culture and can be traced back to the 5th century BC.

Canon was initially used as a term to refer to a set of rules or principles, particularly in the context of literature, art, and music. It later gained significance in the Christian tradition, where it was used to describe the authoritative collection of sacred texts or scriptures.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Canon can be found in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who employed the term to discuss the principles of logic and reasoning. In the Christian tradition, the term "canon" was adopted to refer to the accepted books of the Bible.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Canon. One of the earliest recorded examples is Canon of Rhodes, a Greek mathematician and engineer who lived in the 3rd century BC and is renowned for his work on the study of conic sections.

Another prominent figure with the name Canon was Canon Hubert Walter (c. 1160-1205), a medieval English nobleman who served as the Lord Chancellor of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of King Richard I and King John.

In the field of music, Canon Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706), a German composer, organist, and teacher, is remembered for his contributions to the Baroque era, particularly his famous Canon in D major.

During the Renaissance period, Canon Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), a Polish astronomer, was renowned for his heliocentric model of the solar system, which challenged the then-prevailing geocentric model and revolutionized our understanding of the universe.

In more recent times, Canon Arthur Machen (1863-1947), a Welsh author and mystic, gained recognition for his works in the genres of horror and supernatural fiction, with his novel "The Great God Pan" being a notable example.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Canon throughout history, each contributing to various fields and leaving a lasting impact on their respective disciplines.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Decades

Canon by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Canon 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 #4749 3 1

Related

Names similar to Canon

FAQ

Canon: questions and answers

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

In 2018, Canon was ranked #4749 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Canon most popular?

The peak year on record was 2018, with 3 babies registered as Canon in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Canon?

An anglicized form of the Greek word "kanon" meaning "rule" or "standard".

How many people are called Canon in the UK?

A total of 3 babies have been registered as Canon 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.