NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Kayhan

An Arabic masculine name meaning "handsome, beautiful, radiant".

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.

Kayhan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kayhan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2921, with 7 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 10 births.

This profile covers 117 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 116 living people in the UK are called Kayhan. 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

  • Kayhan ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 7 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2013, when 10 boys were registered as Kayhan.
  • About 116 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kayhan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2921

2024

Births in 2024

7

Latest year

Peak year

2013

10 births

Estimated living

116

2026

Meaning

What does Kayhan mean?

The name Kayhan is of Persian origin, derived from the combination of two Persian words: "kay" meaning king or ruler, and "khan" meaning lord or prince. This name has been in use since ancient times, with its roots tracing back to the Achaemenid Persian Empire, which ruled from around 550 BC to 330 BC.

In ancient Persian literature, the name Kayhan is mentioned in various texts, including the epic poem Shahnameh by the celebrated poet Ferdowsi. This epic work, which dates back to the late 10th century AD, features characters bearing the name Kayhan, indicating its longstanding use in Persian culture.

One of the earliest recorded figures with the name Kayhan was Kayhan Shushter, a renowned Iranian poet and calligrapher who lived during the 14th century AD. His works, which include a collection of poems and calligraphic pieces, have been preserved and are regarded as significant contributions to Persian literary and artistic traditions.

Another notable figure with the name Kayhan was Kayhan Mirza, a prince and military commander who lived during the late 16th century AD. He played a crucial role in the Safavid Dynasty, serving as a governor and leading military campaigns against the Ottoman Empire.

In more recent history, Kayhan Kalhor is a renowned Iranian musician and composer, born in 1963. He is celebrated for his mastery of the kamancheh, a traditional Persian bowed string instrument, and has contributed significantly to the preservation and promotion of Persian classical music.

Another prominent individual with the name Kayhan is Kayhan Sanli, a Turkish journalist and author born in 1934. He is best known for his work as a columnist and his critical analysis of Turkish politics and society. Sanli's writings have had a significant impact on public discourse in Turkey.

It is worth noting that while the name Kayhan has Persian roots, it has also been adopted and used in various cultures and regions influenced by Persian civilization, including parts of Central Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Kayhan over time

The chart below shows babies named Kayhan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 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 Kayhan, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 7 births in 2024, compared with 10 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Kayhan
035810200420142024

Decades

Kayhan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kayhan 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 #3477 28 5
2010s #2881 61 9
2000s #2402 28 4

Related

Names similar to Kayhan

FAQ

Kayhan: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Kayhan was ranked #2921 for boys in England and Wales, with 7 births registered.

When was Kayhan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2013, with 10 babies registered as Kayhan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Kayhan?

An Arabic masculine name meaning "handsome, beautiful, radiant".

How many people are called Kayhan in the UK?

A total of 117 babies have been registered as Kayhan across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.