UK girl's name
Honey
A feminine name meaning "sweet" or "golden nectar from bees".
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.
Honey is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Honey popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #252, with 192 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 338 births.
This profile covers 4,410 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 4,537 living people in the UK are called Honey. 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
- • Honey ranked #252 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 192 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 338 girls were registered as Honey.
- • Honey ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 2024.
- • About 4,537 living people in the UK are estimated to have Honey as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#252
2024
Births in 2024
192
Latest year
Peak year
2005
338 births
Estimated living
4,537
2026
Meaning
What does Honey mean?
The name Honey has a rich and intriguing history, originating from the English language and referring to the sweet, golden liquid produced by bees. This name gained popularity during the early modern period, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries, when it was often used as a term of endearment or a pet name for a beloved individual.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Honey can be found in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet of the 14th century. In his Canterbury Tales, he mentions a character named "Honey" in the Nun's Priest's Tale, suggesting that the name was in use during that era.
In the 16th century, the name Honey appeared in various literary works, including plays by William Shakespeare. In his play "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the character Mustardseed refers to the fairy Peaseblossom as "Honey." This usage further reinforced the association of the name with sweetness and affection.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Honey. One such figure was Honey Thaljiath (1932-2005), an Indian social activist and environmentalist known for her efforts in preserving the Western Ghats mountain range. Another remarkable individual was Honey Irani (1955-2003), an Iranian-American lawyer and human rights advocate who worked tirelessly to promote democracy and protect civil liberties.
In the realm of entertainment, Honey Rider (born 1946) is a British actress best known for her role as the first Bond girl, Honey Ryder, in the 1962 film "Dr. No." Honey Hollman (1920-1968) was an American singer and actress who performed in several Broadway musicals and films during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Additionally, Honey Lanry (1918-2012) was a renowned French fashion designer and couturier, known for her elegant and sophisticated creations that were favored by high society in the mid-20th century.
The name Honey has transcended cultural boundaries and continues to evoke a sense of sweetness, warmth, and affection. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to capture the essence of these qualities, making it a timeless and cherished choice for parents around the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Honey over time
The chart below shows babies named Honey registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Honey, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 192 births in 2024, compared with 338 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Honey by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Honey 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 | #312 | 749 | 5 |
| 2010s | #309 | 1,721 | 10 |
| 2000s | #390 | 1,892 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1532 | 48 | 4 |
Geography
Where Honey is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Honey. 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.
Honey ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #295 in 2024.
Across the UK
Honey in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#295 in 2024
19 years of NRS records, 143 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#328 in 2023
2 years of NISRA records, 7 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Honey
-
Honey Luard
curator; editor
1950-
-
Honey Bowdrey
Peerage person ID=259729
Related
Names similar to Honey
- 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
Honey: questions and answers
How popular is the name Honey in the UK right now?
In 2024, Honey was ranked #252 for girls in England and Wales, with 192 births registered.
When was Honey most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 338 babies registered as Honey in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Honey?
A feminine name meaning "sweet" or "golden nectar from bees".
How many people are called Honey in the UK?
A total of 4,410 babies have been registered as Honey across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 143 more in Scotland and 7 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Honey most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Honey ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #295 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.