UK boy's name
Krishnan
A masculine name of Hindu origin meaning "dark, black, blue".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2018. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Krishnan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Krishnan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2018 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3412, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 8 births.
This profile covers 49 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1999 to 2018. 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 63% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 49 living people in the UK are called Krishnan. 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 2019 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Krishnan ranked #3412 for boys in England and Wales in 2018, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 8 boys were registered as Krishnan.
- • About 49 living people in the UK are estimated to have Krishnan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3412
2018
Births in 2018
5
Latest year
Peak year
2005
8 births
Estimated living
49
2026
Meaning
What does Krishnan mean?
The name Krishnan is a Hindu masculine given name of Sanskrit origin, derived from the word "Krishna," which means "dark-colored" or "black." The name has its roots in ancient Hindu mythology and is associated with the revered deity Lord Krishna, one of the most widely worshipped and beloved figures in Hinduism.
The earliest known references to the name Krishna can be found in the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. In this epic, Krishna is portrayed as a divine figure, an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, and a central character throughout the narrative. The Bhagavad Gita, a philosophical and spiritual text that forms part of the Mahabharata, contains the teachings of Krishna, which have had a profound impact on Hindu philosophy and spirituality.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Krishnan was Krishnadeva Raya, a prominent ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire in southern India, who reigned from 1509 to 1529 CE. He was a patron of art, literature, and architecture, and his reign is considered a golden age for the empire.
Another notable figure in history with the name Krishnan was Krishnanand Agyeya, a renowned Hindi poet, novelist, and literary critic born in 1911 in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. He was a pioneer of the Nayi Kavita (New Poetry) movement and played a significant role in shaping modern Hindi literature.
In the realm of science, Krishnan Rajeshwar, born in 1952, is a distinguished professor of chemistry and chemical engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. He has made significant contributions to the field of electrochemistry and is widely recognized for his research on energy storage and conversion materials.
Krishnan Iyer Laxman, better known as R.K. Laxman, was a celebrated Indian cartoonist and creator of the iconic comic strip "The Common Man." Born in 1921 in Mysore, India, he was best known for his satirical commentary on Indian society and politics through his cartoons, which appeared in various publications for over six decades.
In the performing arts, Krishnan Nair Shanthi was a renowned Indian classical dancer and choreographer, born in 1928 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She was a pioneer in the revival and promotion of the Kathakali dance form and received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the art.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the name Krishnan, a name deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and tradition, and one that has been carried by notable figures across various fields and disciplines.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Krishnan over time
The chart below shows babies named Krishnan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2018. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Krishnan, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2018, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Krishnan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Krishnan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3933 | 16 | 4 |
| 2000s | #2704 | 29 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2425 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Krishnan
- 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
Krishnan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Krishnan in the UK right now?
In 2018, Krishnan was ranked #3412 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Krishnan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 8 babies registered as Krishnan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Krishnan?
A masculine name of Hindu origin meaning "dark, black, blue".
How many people are called Krishnan in the UK?
A total of 49 babies have been registered as Krishnan across the 11 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.