UK boy's name
Esey
A name of African origin, potentially meaning "bird" or "to find favor.".
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.
Esey is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Esey popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3959, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2013 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.
Esey is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Esey. 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
- • Esey ranked #3959 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 4 boys were registered as Esey.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Esey as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3959
2018
Births in 2018
4
Latest year
Peak year
2018
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Esey mean?
The name Esey is believed to have originated from the Assyrian language, an ancient Semitic language spoken in Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq. The name is thought to be derived from the Assyrian word "essu," which translates to "new" or "fresh." This suggests that the name Esey may have been given to newborns or to signify a new beginning.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Esey can be found in the Assyrian cuneiform tablets dating back to the 7th century BC. These tablets were discovered during archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. The tablets mention an individual named "Esey-nuri," which translates to "Esey is my light."
In the 4th century AD, a Christian monk named Esey is mentioned in the writings of the early Church historian, Eusebius of Caesarea. Eusebius described Esey as a devoted ascetic who lived in the desert regions of Syria. This suggests that the name Esey may have been adopted by early Christian communities in the Middle East.
During the medieval period, the name Esey appeared in various historical records from the Byzantine Empire. One notable figure was Esey Kurkuas, a renowned military commander who served under the Byzantine Emperor Basil II in the late 10th century. Kurkuas played a crucial role in the Byzantine campaigns against the Bulgarians and is celebrated for his military victories.
In the 13th century, an Islamic scholar and mathematician named Esey al-Hakim was born in modern-day Iran. Al-Hakim made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy and mathematics, and his works were widely studied in the Islamic world.
Another prominent figure with the name Esey was Esey Beg, a Turkmen ruler who established the Ak Koyunlu Confederation in the 15th century. Esey Beg's confederation played a significant role in the power dynamics of the region, and he is remembered for his military conquests and political influence.
While the name Esey is not as common today as it once was, it continues to be used in various cultures and communities, particularly among those with connections to the ancient Assyrian civilization or the early Christian communities of the Middle East.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Esey over time
The chart below shows babies named Esey registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2013 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Esey, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2018, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Esey by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Esey 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 | #4322 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Esey
- Ethan 77,394
- Edward 53,212
- Elliot 23,450
- Elijah 22,369
- Ellis 19,358
- Elliott 16,964
- Evan 14,535
- Ezra 11,838
- Ewan 10,685
- Eli 8,126
- Elias 7,049
- Eric 6,654
FAQ
Esey: questions and answers
How popular is the name Esey in the UK right now?
In 2018, Esey was ranked #3959 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Esey most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 4 babies registered as Esey in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Esey?
A name of African origin, potentially meaning "bird" or "to find favor.".
How many people are called Esey in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Esey across the 2 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.