NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Dax

A unisex name of unknown origin and meaning.

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.

Dax is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Dax popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1517, with 17 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 33 births.

This profile covers 309 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1997 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 52% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 355 living people in the UK are called Dax. 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

  • Dax ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 17 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 33 boys were registered as Dax.
  • Dax ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #535 in 2024.
  • About 355 living people in the UK are estimated to have Dax as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1517

2024

Births in 2024

17

Latest year

Peak year

2021

33 births

Estimated living

355

2026

Meaning

What does Dax mean?

The given name Dax has its origins in the Frisian language, which is spoken in the coastal regions of the Netherlands and Germany. The name is believed to have derived from the Old Frisian word "dak," meaning "roof" or "shelter." This suggests that the name may have been associated with concepts of protection, security, or shelter in its early use.

Historically, the name Dax has been recorded in various ancient texts and documents from the Frisian region. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Frisian legal text known as the "Lex Frisionum," which dates back to the 8th century AD. This text mentions individuals with the name Dax, indicating its use during the medieval period.

One notable historical figure bearing the name Dax was a Frisian chieftain who lived in the 9th century AD. While his exact name is not known, he was referred to as "Dax the Strong" in chronicles of the time, suggesting he was a formidable leader and warrior.

In the 12th century, a monk named Dax is mentioned in the records of the Benedictine monastery in Egmond, Netherlands. This Dax is believed to have been a scribe and scholar, contributing to the preservation of historical texts and manuscripts during that era.

Moving forward in time, a renowned Dutch painter named Dax van der Meer lived in the 16th century (1530-1591). He was known for his portraiture and religious works, which adorned churches and private collections throughout the Netherlands.

Another notable figure with the name Dax was Dax von Hesslingen, a German military officer who served during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). He is recorded as having played a significant role in several battles and campaigns during this prolonged conflict.

In more recent centuries, the name Dax has been used sporadically, but its historical roots can be traced back to the Frisian language and culture, where it likely originated as a name associated with protection, shelter, and strength.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Dax over time

The chart below shows babies named Dax registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Dax, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 17 births in 2024, compared with 33 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Dax
08172533199720102024

Decades

Dax by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Dax 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 #1126 131 5
2010s #2004 118 10
2000s #2119 48 6
1990s #2451 12 3

Geography

Where Dax is most common

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

Dax ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #535 in 2024.

Scotland
5

Across the UK

Dax in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#535 in 2024

11 years of NRS records, 48 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Dax

  • Dax O'Callaghan

    television actor; film actor; actor; musician

    British actor

    1984-

Related

Names similar to Dax

FAQ

Dax: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Dax was ranked #1517 for boys in England and Wales, with 17 births registered.

When was Dax most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 33 babies registered as Dax in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Dax?

A unisex name of unknown origin and meaning.

How many people are called Dax in the UK?

A total of 309 babies have been registered as Dax across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 48 more in Scotland.

Where is Dax most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Dax ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #535 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.