UK boy's name
Ishaan
Of Hindi origin, meaning "Lord of the world" or "ruler".
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.
Ishaan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ishaan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #538, with 71 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 79 births.
This profile covers 1,306 England and Wales registrations across 27 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 90% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,305 living people in the UK are called Ishaan. 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
- • Ishaan ranked #538 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 71 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 79 boys were registered as Ishaan.
- • Ishaan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #599 in 2020.
- • About 1,305 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ishaan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#538
2024
Births in 2024
71
Latest year
Peak year
2009
79 births
Estimated living
1,305
2026
Meaning
What does Ishaan mean?
The name Ishaan has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language that dates back several millennia. It is derived from the Sanskrit words "Isha," meaning lord or ruler, and "an," which is a suffix denoting possession or relationship. Thus, the name Ishaan can be interpreted to mean "belonging to the lord" or "lord's own."
In Hindu mythology, the name Ishaan is associated with Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism. It is believed that Ishaan was one of the names used to refer to Lord Shiva in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Puranas and the Vedas.
The earliest recorded use of the name Ishaan dates back to the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. During this time, the name was popular among the Brahmin caste, who were the priestly class in ancient Indian society.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Ishaan. One of the most famous was Ishaan Nath, a renowned Hindu philosopher and spiritual teacher who lived in the 9th century CE. He was a prominent figure in the Nath tradition, a spiritual movement that emerged in medieval India.
Another notable Ishaan was Ishaan Uttam, a 16th-century Hindu saint and mystic who was revered for his devotion to Lord Shiva. He is said to have performed numerous miracles and attracted a large following during his lifetime.
In more recent times, Ishaan Khatter, born in 1995, is a rising Bollywood actor who made his debut in the 2018 film "Dhadak." He has since appeared in several other successful movies and has garnered praise for his performances.
Ishaan Ghose, born in 1976, is an Indian writer and journalist who has authored several books and articles on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, and social issues.
Ishaan Malhi, born in 1997, is a Canadian actor and model who has appeared in several television shows and films, including the popular Netflix series "Outer Banks."
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Ishaan, a name deeply rooted in the ancient traditions and cultural heritage of India.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ishaan over time
The chart below shows babies named Ishaan 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 Ishaan, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 71 births in 2024, compared with 79 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ishaan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ishaan 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 | #575 | 326 | 5 |
| 2010s | #579 | 630 | 10 |
| 2000s | #852 | 342 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2480 | 8 | 2 |
Geography
Where Ishaan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Ishaan. 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.
Ishaan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #599 in 2020.
Across the UK
Ishaan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#599 in 2020
2 years of NRS records, 7 total registered
Related
Names similar to Ishaan
- Isaac 49,129
- Ibrahim 14,115
- Ismail 4,679
- Isaiah 4,629
- Idris 3,810
- Ivan 3,146
- Isa 2,943
- Ian 2,805
- Ilyas 2,552
- Ieuan 2,515
- Ibraheem 2,384
- Ioan 2,295
FAQ
Ishaan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ishaan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Ishaan was ranked #538 for boys in England and Wales, with 71 births registered.
When was Ishaan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 79 babies registered as Ishaan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ishaan?
Of Hindi origin, meaning "Lord of the world" or "ruler".
How many people are called Ishaan in the UK?
A total of 1,306 babies have been registered as Ishaan across the 27 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 7 more in Scotland.
Where is Ishaan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Ishaan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #599 in 2020. 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.