NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Korben

A masculine given name of disputed meaning, perhaps from Breton or Cornish origins.

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.

Korben is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Korben 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 2002, with 135 births.

This profile covers 505 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1997 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 2% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 511 living people in the UK are called Korben. 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

  • Korben ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 135 boys were registered as Korben.
  • Korben ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #243 in 2002.
  • About 511 living people in the UK are estimated to have Korben 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

2002

135 births

Estimated living

511

2026

Meaning

What does Korben mean?

The name Korben originates from the Breton language, which is a Celtic language spoken in the region of Brittany, France. It is derived from the Breton word "korr," meaning "dwarf" or "small person." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, when Breton culture and language were prevalent in the region.

In Arthurian legends, there is a character named Korben, who is described as a dwarf or small person. This could be one of the earliest recorded references to the name. However, it is unclear whether the character's name directly influenced the name's usage or if it was already in use among Breton speakers.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Korben was Korben ap Rhys, a 13th-century Welsh nobleman and landowner. He was born around 1220 and was a prominent figure in the Welsh Marches region during the turbulent period of conflict between the Welsh and English.

In the 15th century, Korben de la Roche was a French soldier and knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1410 and is recorded as having participated in several significant battles, including the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

During the 16th century, Korben Poulain was a French artist and engraver. He was born in Paris around 1530 and is known for his intricate woodcut illustrations, which adorned various books and publications of the time.

In the 18th century, Korben Maillard was a French Benedictine monk and scholar. He was born in Normandy in 1710 and is renowned for his extensive writings on theology and philosophy, which influenced religious thought during the Enlightenment period.

Another notable figure with the name Korben was Korben Baelert, a 19th-century Belgian painter and artist. He was born in Ghent in 1825 and is celebrated for his realistic depictions of rural life and landscapes, contributing to the Realist movement in art.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Korben over time

The chart below shows babies named Korben registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Korben, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 135 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Korben
03468101135199720102024

Decades

Korben by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Korben 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 #4321 8 2
2010s #1759 126 9
2000s #956 346 10
1990s #1710 25 3

Geography

Where Korben is most common

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

Korben ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #243 in 2002.

Northern Ireland
4
Scotland
3

Across the UK

Korben in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#535 in 2005

2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#243 in 2002

1 years of NISRA records, 4 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Korben

  • Korben Fellows

    gymnast

    gymnast

Related

Names similar to Korben

FAQ

Korben: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Korben was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Korben most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 135 babies registered as Korben in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Korben?

A masculine given name of disputed meaning, perhaps from Breton or Cornish origins.

How many people are called Korben in the UK?

A total of 505 babies have been registered as Korben across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland and 4 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Korben most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Korben ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #243 in 2002. 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.