UK boy's name
Kylan
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "slender and handsome".
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.
Kylan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Kylan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #880, with 36 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 101 births.
This profile covers 1,126 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 36% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 1,178 living people in the UK are called Kylan. 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
- • Kylan ranked #880 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 36 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 101 boys were registered as Kylan.
- • Kylan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #342 in 2015.
- • About 1,178 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kylan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#880
2024
Births in 2024
36
Latest year
Peak year
2013
101 births
Estimated living
1,178
2026
Meaning
What does Kylan mean?
The given name Kylan is believed to have its origins in the Celtic languages, particularly Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "cailean" or "cuilean," which mean "whelp" or "young dog."
In ancient Celtic culture, dogs were highly revered and often associated with loyalty, protection, and hunting prowess. As such, names related to dogs were commonly given to newborn children, perhaps as a way of bestowing these desired qualities upon them.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kylan can be traced back to medieval Ireland and Scotland, where it was primarily used as a male name. It is possible that the name was also influenced by the Old Norse name Killian, which has a similar sound and meaning.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Kylan was Kylan mac Ailpín, a Scottish prince who lived in the 9th century. He was the son of King Ailpín II of Dalriada and played a significant role in the consolidation of the Kingdom of Alba, which later became the Kingdom of Scotland.
Another notable bearer of the name was Kylan of Newbattle, a 12th-century Scottish monk and hagiographer who wrote the Life of St. Cuthbert, an important work chronicling the life of the revered Northumbrian monk and bishop.
In the 14th century, there was a Kylan O'Doherty, an Irish chieftain from County Donegal, who fought against the English during the Irish Bruce Wars. His name can be found in several historical records from that time period.
In the 16th century, Kylan O'Mulconry was a renowned Irish historian and poet from County Roscommon. He was a member of the prestigious O'Mulconry family, known for their expertise in genealogy and traditional Irish learning.
More recently, in the 20th century, Kylan Mickhi was a notable French artist and sculptor, best known for his abstract works and unique use of materials like metal and stone. He was born in 1924 and passed away in 2004.
While the name Kylan has its roots in ancient Celtic cultures, it has continued to be used throughout various regions and time periods, often carrying connotations of strength, loyalty, and a connection to nature and animals.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kylan over time
The chart below shows babies named Kylan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Kylan, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 36 births in 2024, compared with 101 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kylan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kylan 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 | #853 | 200 | 5 |
| 2010s | #585 | 655 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1137 | 241 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1673 | 30 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kylan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kylan. 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.
Kylan ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #342 in 2015.
Across the UK
Kylan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#728 in 2023
10 years of NRS records, 44 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#342 in 2015
4 years of NISRA records, 15 total registered
Related
Names similar to Kylan
- 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
Kylan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kylan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kylan was ranked #880 for boys in England and Wales, with 36 births registered.
When was Kylan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 101 babies registered as Kylan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kylan?
A masculine name of Irish origin meaning "slender and handsome".
How many people are called Kylan in the UK?
A total of 1,126 babies have been registered as Kylan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 44 more in Scotland and 15 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kylan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kylan ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #342 in 2015. 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.