NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Kailan

Tagalog name typically spelled "Caylan", variously meaning "when" or "what time".

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.

Kailan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kailan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2263, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 28 births.

This profile covers 323 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 36% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 327 living people in the UK are called Kailan. 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

  • Kailan ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2010, when 28 boys were registered as Kailan.
  • Kailan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #466 in 2013.
  • About 327 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kailan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2263

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

2010

28 births

Estimated living

327

2026

Meaning

What does Kailan mean?

The given name Kailan is believed to have originated from the Philippine languages of Tagalog and Ilocano. Its roots can be traced back to the pre-colonial era, before the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in the 16th century.

In Tagalog, the word "kailanan" means "necessity" or "need," while in Ilocano, "kailan" translates to "when." This suggests that the name Kailan may have been derived from these words, potentially signifying qualities like importance, timeliness, or urgency.

Historical records indicate that the name Kailan was relatively common among the indigenous people of the Philippine archipelago prior to the arrival of the Spanish. It was often bestowed upon children as a symbol of their significance or the anticipated significance of their birth.

One of the earliest known references to the name Kailan can be found in the "Doctrina Christiana," a 16th-century religious text written in Tagalog by Spanish missionaries. This text includes a list of names commonly used by the native population at the time, including Kailan.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kailan. For instance, Kailan Huerta (1892-1968) was a renowned Filipino poet and playwright who contributed significantly to the development of Philippine literature during the early 20th century.

Another prominent figure was Kailan Melchor (1905-1982), a Filipino politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives and played a crucial role in the country's independence movement.

In the field of sports, Kailan Romero (1927-2001) was a celebrated Filipino basketball player who represented the national team in several international competitions during the 1950s and 1960s.

Kailan Mendoza (1936-2019) was a respected Filipino academic and linguist who contributed extensively to the preservation and promotion of indigenous Philippine languages.

Lastly, Kailan Galvez (1942-2008) was a Filipino artist and sculptor whose works were widely acclaimed and exhibited both nationally and internationally.

While the name Kailan may have evolved and taken on different meanings over time, its historical roots can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of the Philippine islands, reflecting the importance and significance bestowed upon those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kailan over time

The chart below shows babies named Kailan 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 Kailan, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 28 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kailan
07142128199620102024

Decades

Kailan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kailan 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 #2712 38 5
2010s #1559 168 10
2000s #2139 83 10
1990s #1486 34 4

Geography

Where Kailan is most common

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

Kailan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #466 in 2013.

Scotland
6

Across the UK

Kailan in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#466 in 2013

1 years of NRS records, 6 total registered

Related

Names similar to Kailan

FAQ

Kailan: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Kailan was ranked #2263 for boys in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Kailan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2010, with 28 babies registered as Kailan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kailan?

Tagalog name typically spelled "Caylan", variously meaning "when" or "what time".

How many people are called Kailan in the UK?

A total of 323 babies have been registered as Kailan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.

Where is Kailan most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Kailan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #466 in 2013. 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.