UK boy's name
Cullan
A masculine given name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome lad".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Cullan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Cullan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4678, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 6 births.
This profile covers 18 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1996 to 2010. 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 21 living people in the UK are called Cullan. 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 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Cullan ranked #4678 for boys in England and Wales in 2010, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 6 boys were registered as Cullan.
- • Cullan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #584 in 2006.
- • About 21 living people in the UK are estimated to have Cullan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4678
2010
Births in 2010
3
Latest year
Peak year
1999
6 births
Estimated living
21
2026
Meaning
What does Cullan mean?
The given name Cullan has its origins in the Gaelic language and culture, specifically from Ireland and Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the old Irish word "culenn," which means "holly tree" or "holly bush." The name's earliest recorded use dates back to the 6th century CE in ancient Irish texts and manuscripts.
Cullan was a relatively common name among the Irish and Scottish clans during the Middle Ages. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Saint Cullan, an Irish monk who lived in the 7th century CE and founded several monasteries in Ireland. Another notable figure was Cullan the Bald, a 9th-century Irish scribe and scholar who worked at the famous monastery of Iona in Scotland.
In the 11th century, a Scottish nobleman named Cullan of Argyll played a significant role in the wars between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of Strathclyde. His exploits were documented in various chronicles and historical records of the time.
During the 12th century, a renowned Irish poet and storyteller named Cullan the Bard was highly regarded for his works, which were widely circulated among the literary circles of the time.
In the 16th century, Cullan O'Mullan was a notable Irish chieftain and leader of the O'Mullan clan. He was known for his fierce resistance against the English forces during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
Throughout history, there have been several variations and spellings of the name Cullan, such as Cullen, Cullin, and Cuilean, which were used in different regions and time periods. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Gaelic-speaking peoples.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Cullan over time
The chart below shows babies named Cullan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2010. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Cullan, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2010, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cullan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Cullan 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 | #4678 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2096 | 15 | 3 |
Geography
Where Cullan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Cullan. 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.
Cullan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #584 in 2006.
Across the UK
Cullan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#584 in 2006
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Cullan
- 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
Cullan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Cullan in the UK right now?
In 2010, Cullan was ranked #4678 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Cullan most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 6 babies registered as Cullan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Cullan?
A masculine given name of Gaelic origin meaning "handsome lad".
How many people are called Cullan in the UK?
A total of 18 babies have been registered as Cullan across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Cullan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Cullan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #584 in 2006. 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.