NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Kallan

An Irish name meaning "mighty, bright-headed", from the Gaelic word "ceallach".

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.

Kallan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kallan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 14 births.

This profile covers 126 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 21% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 160 living people in the UK are called Kallan. 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

  • Kallan ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2001, when 14 boys were registered as Kallan.
  • Kallan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #711 in 2020.
  • About 160 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kallan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4789

2022

Births in 2022

3

Latest year

Peak year

2001

14 births

Estimated living

160

2026

Meaning

What does Kallan mean?

The name Kallan has its origins in the Gaelic and Irish languages, and it is believed to have been derived from the Old Irish word "callan," which means "young man" or "lad." This name has been in use since ancient times and has a rich history spanning several centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kallan can be found in the Irish Annals, which are a collection of historical records dating back to the 5th century AD. In these annals, Kallan is mentioned as the name of a prominent Irish warrior who lived during the 6th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Kallan gained popularity among Irish and Scottish families, particularly those with strong ties to the Gaelic culture and traditions. Several notable figures from this period bore the name, including Kallan Óg, a renowned Irish poet and bard who lived in the 12th century.

In the 16th century, Kallan Buidhe, also known as Callan Yellow, was a famous Irish chieftain and leader of the Clan Ó Duibhir. He played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars, which took place from 1641 to 1653.

Another notable figure with the name Kallan was Kallan Óg Ó Raghallaigh, a celebrated Irish harper who lived in the 17th century. He was renowned for his skills in playing the traditional Irish harp and was highly respected among his contemporaries.

In the 19th century, Kallan Mac Donlevy was a prominent Irish nationalist and journalist who advocated for Irish independence from British rule. He was born in 1828 and played a crucial role in the Irish republican movement of the time.

While the name Kallan has its roots in the Gaelic and Irish cultures, it has also been adopted by other communities around the world, particularly those with Celtic or Irish heritage. The name has endured through the centuries, carrying with it a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kallan over time

The chart below shows babies named Kallan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Kallan, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 14 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kallan
0471114199620092022

Decades

Kallan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kallan 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 #4789 6 2
2010s #3524 30 6
2000s #2147 59 8
1990s #1577 31 4

Geography

Where Kallan is most common

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

Kallan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #711 in 2020.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Kallan in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#711 in 2020

9 years of NRS records, 35 total registered

Related

Names similar to Kallan

FAQ

Kallan: questions and answers

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

In 2022, Kallan was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Kallan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2001, with 14 babies registered as Kallan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kallan?

An Irish name meaning "mighty, bright-headed", from the Gaelic word "ceallach".

How many people are called Kallan in the UK?

A total of 126 babies have been registered as Kallan across the 20 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 35 more in Scotland.

Where is Kallan most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Kallan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #711 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.