UK name, mostly girls
Hannan
A name of Semitic origin meaning "blissful, fortunate one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 148 boys.
Hannan is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Hannan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 20 births.
This profile covers 182 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1996 to 2022. 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 15% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 184 living people in the UK are called Hannan. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Hannan ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 20 girls were registered as Hannan.
- • Hannan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #629 in 2000.
- • Hannan is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 184 living people in the UK are estimated to have Hannan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 55.2% of Hannan registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2004
20 births
Estimated living
184
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Hannan
In England and Wales birth records, Hannan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 44.8% of registrations are for boys and 55.2% 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.
Hannan registered for boys
- Ranked #5,119 in 2024
- 3 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2003 (12 births)
Hannan registered for girls
- Ranked #5,669 in 2022
- 3 girls registered in 2022
- Peak: 2004 (20 births)
Meaning
What does Hannan mean?
The name Hannan has its origins in Arabic culture, dating back to the 7th century CE. It is derived from the Arabic root word "hanna," which means "to long for" or "to yearn for." The name is believed to have been given to individuals who were deeply devoted to their faith or had a strong desire for spiritual enlightenment.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Hannan can be found in Islamic literature, specifically in the Hadith, which are the recorded sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. In these texts, Hannan is mentioned as a companion of the Prophet and is praised for his piety and devotion to Islam.
Throughout history, the name Hannan has been borne by several notable figures. One of the most prominent was Hannan ibn Thabit (died 673 CE), an Arab poet who lived during the early days of Islam. He was known for his eloquent verses and his unwavering support for the Prophet Muhammad and the Muslim community.
Another significant figure was Hannan al-Shafi'i (767-820 CE), a renowned Islamic scholar and jurist. He was a leading figure in the development of Islamic jurisprudence and is considered one of the founders of the Shafi'i school of Islamic law, which is one of the four major Sunni schools of jurisprudence.
In the 12th century, Hannan al-Mawsili (1114-1187 CE) was a celebrated Arab musician and composer. He is credited with contributing significantly to the development of Arabic music theory and is regarded as one of the greatest musicians of the medieval Islamic world.
Moving forward in history, Hannan al-Hassani (1805-1882 CE) was a prominent Ottoman scholar and historian from present-day Lebanon. He is best known for his extensive writings on the history of the Arab world and his contributions to the preservation of Arabic literature and culture.
Another notable figure was Hannan al-Jaziri (1899-1979 CE), an influential Islamic scholar and jurist from Syria. He was a prolific writer and is renowned for his book "Al-Fiqh 'ala al-Madhahib al-Arba'ah" (Jurisprudence According to the Four Schools of Law), which is considered a seminal work on Islamic jurisprudence.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Hannan, reflecting its deep-rooted significance in Arabic and Islamic culture.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Hannan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Hannan in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Hannan, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Hannan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Hannan 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 | #5669 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3560 | 47 | 7 |
| 2000s | #1935 | 117 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2078 | 15 | 2 |
Geography
Where Hannan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Hannan. 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.
Hannan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #629 in 2000.
Across the UK
Hannan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#629 in 2000
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Hannan
- 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
Hannan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Hannan in the UK right now?
In 2022, Hannan was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Hannan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 20 babies registered as Hannan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Hannan?
A name of Semitic origin meaning "blissful, fortunate one".
How many people are called Hannan in the UK?
A total of 182 babies have been registered as Hannan across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Hannan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Hannan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #629 in 2000. 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.