NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Indigo

A word referring to the deep blue color of the rainbow.

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.

Indigo is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Indigo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #503, with 78 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 100 births.

This profile covers 1,324 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 78% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,330 living people in the UK are called Indigo. 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

  • Indigo ranked #503 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 78 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 100 girls were registered as Indigo.
  • Indigo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #792 in 2021.
  • About 1,330 living people in the UK are estimated to have Indigo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 87.5% of Indigo registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#503

2024

Births in 2024

78

Latest year

Peak year

2021

100 births

Estimated living

1,330

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Indigo

In England and Wales birth records, Indigo has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 12.5% of registrations are for boys and 87.5% 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.

13% boys
87% girls
Boys190 (12.5%)Girls1,324 (87.5%)

Indigo registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,088 in 2024
  • 11 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2021 (18 births)

Indigo registered for girls

  • Ranked #503 in 2024
  • 78 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2021 (100 births)

Meaning

What does Indigo mean?

The name Indigo is derived from the Greek word "indikon," which means "from India." It refers to the deep blue color that was extracted from the indigo plant and used as a dye. The indigo plant was cultivated in ancient India and the dye became an important trade commodity, spreading across the world through various trade routes.

Indigo as a given name first appeared in the late 19th century, likely inspired by the growing popularity of the color and its association with spirituality and creativity. The name gained traction in the 1960s during the counterculture movement, where it was embraced as a unique and unconventional name.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Indigo was in 1894, when Indigo Williams was born in the United States. However, the name remained relatively rare until the late 20th century.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Indigo. Indigo Girls, formed in 1985, is a Grammy-winning American folk rock duo consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Indigo Bunting, born in 1974, is an American actress known for her roles in films such as "Scanners" and "House of the Dead."

Indigo Williams, born in 1984, is a British actress best known for her role in the television series "Babyfather." Indigo Roth, born in 1989, is a German singer and songwriter who has released several albums and singles.

Indigo Marie, born in 1986, is an American model and actress who has appeared in various television shows and films. She is also known for her advocacy work in promoting body positivity and self-love.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Indigo over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Indigo 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 Indigo, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 78 births in 2024, compared with 100 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0305989118199620102024

Decades

Indigo by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Indigo 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 #524 387 5
2010s #651 647 10
2000s #1107 239 10
1990s #1526 51 4

Geography

Where Indigo is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Indigo. 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.

Indigo ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #792 in 2021.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Indigo in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#792 in 2021

4 years of NRS records, 12 total registered

Related

Names similar to Indigo

FAQ

Indigo: questions and answers

How popular is the name Indigo in the UK right now?

In 2024, Indigo was ranked #503 for girls in England and Wales, with 78 births registered.

When was Indigo most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 100 babies registered as Indigo in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Indigo?

A word referring to the deep blue color of the rainbow.

How many people are called Indigo in the UK?

A total of 1,324 babies have been registered as Indigo across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 12 more in Scotland.

Where is Indigo most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Indigo ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #792 in 2021. 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.