UK boy's name
Kayvan
A Persian name meaning "great", "strong", or "worthy".
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.
Kayvan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kayvan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 5 births.
This profile covers 20 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2014 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 20 living people in the UK are called Kayvan. 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
- • Kayvan ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 5 boys were registered as Kayvan.
- • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kayvan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2018
5 births
Estimated living
20
2026
Meaning
What does Kayvan mean?
The name Kayvan has its origins in the Persian language and culture. It is derived from the old Persian word "Kay" which means king or ruler, and "van" meaning soul or spirit. The name Kayvan can be translated to mean "soul of the king" or "king's spirit".
The name dates back to ancient Persia, which is now modern-day Iran. It was a common name among the ruling class and nobility during the Achaemenid Empire, which ruled over a vast territory from 550 BCE to 330 BCE. The name is mentioned in several ancient Persian texts and inscriptions from this period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kayvan is in the Avestan texts, which are the sacred scriptures of Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest religions in the world. The name appears in the Yasna, a collection of hymns and prayers, as well as in the Vendidad, a collection of religious laws and guidelines.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kayvan. One of the earliest was Kayvan, a Persian prince and military commander who lived during the reign of the Sassanid Empire in the 3rd century CE. He is known for his bravery and loyalty to the Sassanid king, Shapur I.
Another famous Kayvan was Kayvan Rudaki, a renowned Persian poet and author who lived in the 9th century CE. He is considered one of the greatest poets of the Persian literary tradition and is often referred to as the "Adam of Persian Poetry".
In the 13th century, there was Kayvan al-Razi, a Persian philosopher, physician, and alchemist who made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and chemistry. His works on philosophy and ethics were also highly influential in the Islamic world.
During the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th century, Kayvan Beg was a prominent military leader and governor. He played a crucial role in the expansion and consolidation of the Safavid Empire under Shah Tahmasp I.
In more recent times, Kayvan Novak was a celebrated Iranian-American actor and comedian who gained fame for his roles in various TV shows and movies, including the popular sitcom "What We Do in the Shadows". He was born in 1973 and passed away in 2022.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kayvan over time
The chart below shows babies named Kayvan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 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 Kayvan, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kayvan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kayvan 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 | #4954 | 6 | 2 |
| 2010s | #4389 | 14 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Kayvan
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kayvan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kayvan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kayvan was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kayvan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 5 babies registered as Kayvan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kayvan?
A Persian name meaning "great", "strong", or "worthy".
How many people are called Kayvan in the UK?
A total of 20 babies have been registered as Kayvan across the 6 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.