UK name, mostly girls
Halo
A Spanish name meaning "the breath of heaven".
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.
Halo is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Halo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1262, with 26 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 36 births.
This profile covers 168 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 2004 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 72% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 170 living people in the UK are called Halo. 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
- • Halo ranked #1262 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 26 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 36 girls were registered as Halo.
- • Halo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #760 in 2022.
- • About 170 living people in the UK are estimated to have Halo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 88.4% of Halo registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1262
2024
Births in 2024
26
Latest year
Peak year
2023
36 births
Estimated living
170
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Halo
In England and Wales birth records, Halo has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 11.6% of registrations are for boys and 88.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Halo registered for boys
- Ranked #2,671 in 2024
- 8 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (8 births)
Halo registered for girls
- Ranked #1,262 in 2024
- 26 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (36 births)
Meaning
What does Halo mean?
The name Halo is derived from the Greek word 'halos', which means 'circle' or 'halo'. It originated in ancient Greek culture, where it referred to the circular rings or halos depicted around the heads of saints and other holy figures in religious artwork. The name's origins can be traced back to the early centuries of the Christian era.
In ancient Greek mythology, the term 'halos' was also used to describe the circular path of the sun across the sky. This celestial connection may have contributed to the name's association with divine or heavenly connotations. The name Halo was likely adopted as a given name in the early days of Christianity, when Greek culture and language held significant influence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Halo is found in the 4th century, where it was borne by Saint Halo, a Breton monk and bishop who lived in the region of Brittany, France. His life and work contributed to the spread of Christianity in the area, and he is venerated as the patron saint of several towns and villages in Brittany.
In the 6th century, another notable figure named Halo lived – Halo of Auxerre, a Benedictine monk and scholar from Auxerre, France. He is recognized for his contributions to the study of rhetoric and grammar during the Carolingian Renaissance.
Moving forward in history, Halo de Nantes was a 9th-century Breton ruler and Count of Nantes. He played a significant role in the defense of Brittany against the Vikings and is remembered for his military exploits in protecting the region.
During the Renaissance period, Halo Navis was a 16th-century Italian painter and architect from Sardinia. He is known for his work on the Basilica of San Gavino in Porto Torres, where he designed the church's facade.
In more recent times, Halo Jones was the name of a fictional character created by writer Alan Moore and artist Ian Gibson for the comic book series "The Ballad of Halo Jones", published in the 1980s. The series followed the adventures of Halo Jones, a young woman living in a futuristic society, and gained critical acclaim for its storytelling and social commentary.
While the name Halo may not be as common as some other names, it has a rich history rooted in ancient Greek culture and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries, from saints and scholars to rulers and creative artists.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Halo over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Halo in England and Wales, from 2004 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 Halo, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 26 births in 2024, compared with 36 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Halo by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Halo 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 | #1744 | 99 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3904 | 63 | 10 |
| 2000s | #5077 | 6 | 2 |
Geography
Where Halo is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Halo. 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.
Halo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #760 in 2022.
Across the UK
Halo in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#760 in 2022
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Halo
- Hannah 67,635
- Holly 52,307
- Harriet 24,781
- Hollie 17,902
- Harper 15,784
- Heidi 12,675
- Hallie 9,873
- Hope 9,414
- Hayley 5,968
- Hazel 5,954
- Hanna 5,735
- Heather 5,497
FAQ
Halo: questions and answers
How popular is the name Halo in the UK right now?
In 2024, Halo was ranked #1262 for girls in England and Wales, with 26 births registered.
When was Halo most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 36 babies registered as Halo in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Halo?
A Spanish name meaning "the breath of heaven".
How many people are called Halo in the UK?
A total of 168 babies have been registered as Halo across the 17 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Halo most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Halo ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #760 in 2022. 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.