UK name, mostly boys
Kian
Masculine name of Persian origin meaning "Of or belonging to Kian" or "King of Heaven".
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.
Kian is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Kian popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #204, with 247 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 1,126 births.
This profile covers 17,666 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 22% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 19,425 living people in the UK are called Kian. 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
- • Kian ranked #204 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 247 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 1,126 boys were registered as Kian.
- • Kian ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #218 in 2024.
- • About 19,425 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kian as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 100.0% of Kian registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#204
2024
Births in 2024
247
Latest year
Peak year
2007
1,126 births
Estimated living
19,425
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kian
In England and Wales birth records, Kian has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 100.0% of registrations are for boys and 0.0% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Kian registered for boys
- Ranked #204 in 2024
- 247 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2007 (1,126 births)
Kian registered for girls
- Ranked #4,373 in 2003
- 3 girls registered in 2003
- Peak: 1996 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Kian mean?
The name Kian is believed to have originated from the Persian language, with roots tracing back to ancient Persia, now modern-day Iran. It is derived from the Old Persian word "Kayān," which refers to the Kayanian dynasty, a legendary dynasty that ruled over parts of Greater Iran during the mythical age.
The name Kian can be found in various ancient Persian texts and legends, including the epic poem "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings) by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi. In this epic, Kian is mentioned as the name of a character, a prince from the Kayanian dynasty.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kian dates back to the 6th century AD, when a Persian prince named Kian lived during the Sasanian Empire. However, the name likely predates this period, as it is deeply rooted in Persian mythology and folklore.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kian. One of the most famous was Kian Sani (born around 1010 AD), a renowned Persian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the advancement of science during the Islamic Golden Age.
Another notable figure was Kian Khusraw (born around 1050 AD), a Persian prince and military leader who played a crucial role in defending the Seljuk Empire against invading forces.
In the 13th century, Kian Bahadur Khan (born around 1220 AD) was a powerful military commander who served under the Mongol ruler Hulagu Khan and played a pivotal role in the conquest of Persia.
During the 16th century, Kian Ghiyath al-Din (born around 1520 AD) was a prominent Persian calligrapher and poet who left a lasting legacy in the art of Persian calligraphy.
More recently, Kian Tajbakhsh (born in 1962) is an Iranian-American scholar and activist who has been recognized for his work in promoting human rights and democracy in Iran.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Kian, a name that has its roots in ancient Persian culture and mythology.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kian over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kian in England and Wales, 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 Kian, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 247 births in 2024, compared with 1,126 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kian by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kian 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 | #198 | 1,307 | 5 |
| 2010s | #110 | 6,418 | 10 |
| 2000s | #69 | 9,711 | 10 |
| 1990s | #458 | 230 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kian is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kian. 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.
Kian ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #218 in 2024.
Across the UK
Kian in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#218 in 2024
26 years of NRS records, 1,543 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#339 in 2024
25 years of NISRA records, 359 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kian
-
Kian Davies
basketball player
Welsh basketball player (born 2002)
2002-
-
Kian Harratt
association football player
English association football player (born 2002)
2002-
-
Kian Scales
association football player
English association football player
2001-
-
Kian Ronan
association football player
Gibraltarian association football player
2001-
-
Kian Emadi
sport cyclist
British cyclist
1992-
-
Kian Dennett
snooker player
snooker player
Related
Names similar to Kian
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
- Kristian 2,788
FAQ
Kian: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kian in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kian was ranked #204 for boys in England and Wales, with 247 births registered.
When was Kian most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 1,126 babies registered as Kian in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kian?
Masculine name of Persian origin meaning "Of or belonging to Kian" or "King of Heaven".
How many people are called Kian in the UK?
A total of 17,666 babies have been registered as Kian across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 1,543 more in Scotland and 359 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kian most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kian ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #218 in 2024. 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.