UK boy's name
Gunner
A masculine name of English origin meaning "one who operates a gun".
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.
Gunner is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Gunner popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 9 births.
This profile covers 44 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2014 to 2024. 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.
The latest count is about 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 44 living people in the UK are called Gunner. 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
- • Gunner ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 9 boys were registered as Gunner.
- • About 44 living people in the UK are estimated to have Gunner as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2019
9 births
Estimated living
44
2026
Meaning
What does Gunner mean?
The name Gunner has its origins in Old Norse and Old English. It is derived from the Old Norse word "gunn" which means "battle" or "war", and the Old English word "gunnere" which means "warrior" or "soldier". The name was originally a descriptive term used to refer to someone who was skilled in the use of firearms or artillery.
In medieval times, the name Gunner was associated with soldiers and military personnel. It was a common occupation for those who manned and operated cannons and other artillery weapons during battles and sieges. The name was also used to refer to those who were responsible for the maintenance and repair of firearms.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Gunner can be found in the medieval English poem "The Siege of Rouen" from the 15th century. The poem mentions a character named "Gunner Harry" who was responsible for operating a cannon during the siege of Rouen in 1418-1419.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Gunner. One of the most famous was Gunner John Dillinger (1903-1934), an infamous American gangster and bank robber during the Great Depression era. He was known for his daring robberies and for escaping from jail twice.
Another notable Gunner was Gunner John Robson (1920-1944), a British soldier who was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor in the British Empire, for his bravery during World War II. He sacrificed his life to save his comrades during the Battle of Normandy in 1944.
In the 17th century, Gunner William Diggles (1609-1670) was a renowned English mathematician and inventor. He is credited with developing the first successful sea-going chronometer, a device used for navigation at sea.
Gunner George Salisbury (1871-1957) was a British soldier and author who served in the Boer War and World War I. He wrote several memoirs and novels based on his experiences in the military.
Gunner Arthur Buckner (1881-1963) was an American soldier and artist who served in World War I. He is known for his paintings and sketches depicting the lives of soldiers during the war.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Gunner over time
The chart below shows babies named Gunner registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 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 Gunner, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gunner by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Gunner 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 | #4100 | 20 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3157 | 24 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Gunner
- George 121,258
- Gabriel 20,581
- Grayson 7,636
- Gregory 2,925
- Guy 2,646
- Gareth 2,092
- Gethin 1,880
- Georgie 1,872
- Gary 1,575
- Gavin 1,422
- Giovanni 1,252
- Grant 1,199
FAQ
Gunner: questions and answers
How popular is the name Gunner in the UK right now?
In 2024, Gunner was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Gunner most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 9 babies registered as Gunner in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Gunner?
A masculine name of English origin meaning "one who operates a gun".
How many people are called Gunner in the UK?
A total of 44 babies have been registered as Gunner across the 9 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.