NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Cosmo

A unisex name derived from the Greek word "kosmos" meaning universe or cosmos.

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.

Cosmo is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Cosmo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #747, with 46 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 54 births.

This profile covers 678 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 85% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 688 living people in the UK are called Cosmo. 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

  • Cosmo ranked #747 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 46 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 54 boys were registered as Cosmo.
  • Cosmo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
  • About 688 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cosmo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#747

2024

Births in 2024

46

Latest year

Peak year

2023

54 births

Estimated living

688

2026

Meaning

What does Cosmo mean?

The name Cosmo has its roots in the Greek language, originating from the word "kosmos," which means "universe" or "world." It is believed to have been derived from the word "kosmeo," meaning "to order" or "to adorn." This name has been in use since ancient times and carries a sense of order, beauty, and harmony with the cosmos.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cosmo can be found in Greek mythology, where Cosmo was the personification of order and the universe. In ancient Greek texts, Cosmo was often depicted as a deity responsible for maintaining the balance and harmony of the cosmos.

The name Cosmo gained popularity in the early Christian era, particularly among the Eastern Orthodox Church. Saint Cosmo, along with his twin brother Damian, were revered as early Christian martyrs and patron saints of physicians and pharmacists. They lived in the 3rd century AD and were renowned for their healing abilities and selfless dedication to helping the sick.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cosmo. One of the earliest was Cosmo Indicopleustes, a 6th-century Greek merchant and traveler who wrote accounts of his extensive travels across the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean regions.

In the 15th century, Cosmo de' Medici (1389-1464) was a renowned Italian banker and statesman who played a pivotal role in the Renaissance and the patronage of arts and culture in Florence. His influence and wealth helped establish the Medici family as one of the most powerful dynasties in Europe.

Another noteworthy figure was Cosmo III de' Medici (1642-1723), the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who was known for his support of the arts and sciences, as well as his extensive collection of scientific instruments and curiosities.

In the 19th century, Cosmo Monkhouse (1824-1901) was an English poet, critic, and art historian who significantly influenced the Victorian literary scene and advocated for the appreciation of Pre-Raphaelite art.

More recently, Cosmo Innes (1798-1874) was a Scottish historian and lawyer who made significant contributions to the study of Scottish legal history and the preservation of ancient Scottish records.

While the name Cosmo has its roots in ancient Greek culture, it has transcended boundaries and found its place in various parts of the world, carrying with it a sense of order, beauty, and harmony with the universe.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Cosmo over time

The chart below shows babies named Cosmo 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 Cosmo, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 46 births in 2024, compared with 54 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Cosmo
014274154199620102024

Decades

Cosmo by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cosmo 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 #752 223 5
2010s #1225 222 10
2000s #1052 194 10
1990s #1478 39 4

Geography

Where Cosmo is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cosmo. 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.

Cosmo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Cosmo in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#728 in 2023

5 years of NRS records, 15 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Cosmo

  • Cosmo Villiers

    schoolchild; aristocrat

    born 2013; youngest son of George Villiers, 8th Earl of Clarendon, and Bryonie Leask

    2013-

  • Cosmo Sheldrake

    musician

    English musician

    1989-

  • Cosmo Feilding Mellen

    television director; film director

    British film and television director (born 1985)

    1985-

  • Cosmo Landesman

    journalist; film critic

    British film critic

    1954-

  • Cosmo Haskard

    politician; soldier

    Irish-born British colonial administrator and retired British Army officer (1916-2017)

    1916-2017

  • Cosmo Nevill

    military officer

    British Army general

    1907-2002

  • Cosmo Crawley

    cricketer

    English cricketer (1904-1989)

    1904-1989

  • Cosmo Clark

    painter

    British painter (1897-1967)

    1897-1967

Related

Names similar to Cosmo

FAQ

Cosmo: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Cosmo was ranked #747 for boys in England and Wales, with 46 births registered.

When was Cosmo most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 54 babies registered as Cosmo in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Cosmo?

A unisex name derived from the Greek word "kosmos" meaning universe or cosmos.

How many people are called Cosmo in the UK?

A total of 678 babies have been registered as Cosmo across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 15 more in Scotland.

Where is Cosmo most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Cosmo ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #728 in 2023. 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.