UK name, mostly girls
Lark
Small brown songbird known for its melodious singing.
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.
Lark is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Lark popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4192, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 11 births.
This profile covers 52 England and Wales registrations across 9 recorded years from 2008 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 45% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 52 living people in the UK are called Lark. 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
- • Lark ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 11 girls were registered as Lark.
- • About 52 living people in the UK are estimated to have Lark as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 94.5% of Lark registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4192
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2020
11 births
Estimated living
52
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Lark
In England and Wales birth records, Lark has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 5.5% of registrations are for boys and 94.5% 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.
Lark registered for boys
- Ranked #4,812 in 2017
- 3 boys registered in 2017
- Peak: 2017 (3 births)
Lark registered for girls
- Ranked #4,192 in 2024
- 5 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (11 births)
Meaning
What does Lark mean?
The name Lark is derived from the Old English word "lauuerc", which referred to the small songbird known for its melodious call. This name has its roots in the ancient Germanic languages and can be traced back to the 5th century AD.
The name was initially used as a descriptive term, likely given to individuals who were known for their cheerful or melodic voices. It was later adopted as a proper name, particularly in England and other parts of the British Isles.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Lark can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England completed in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a landowner named "Lark" in the county of Essex.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Lark. One such figure was Lark Brewster (1588-1644), an English Puritan settler who was among the founders of the New Haven Colony in what is now Connecticut, United States.
Another prominent figure was Lark Davies (1770-1832), a Welsh poet and writer known for his contributions to the literary movement of the Romantic era. His works celebrated the natural beauty of Wales and its rural landscapes.
In the realm of politics, Lark Voorhies (1818-1892) was an American politician who served as the 10th Governor of Indiana from 1861 to 1865, leading the state during the tumultuous years of the American Civil War.
The name Lark also has associations with the arts. Lark Pien (1902-1981) was a renowned Chinese-American painter and illustrator, best known for her depictions of the California landscapes and her contributions to the Californian Regionalist art movement.
More recently, Lark Voorhies (born 1974) is an American actress who rose to fame for her role as Lisa Turtle in the popular television sitcom "Saved by the Bell" during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
While the name Lark may not be as common today as it once was, it remains a charming and unique choice, carrying with it a rich history and associations with nature, creativity, and resilience.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Lark over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Lark in England and Wales, from 2008 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 Lark, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 11 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lark by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Lark 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 | #3585 | 33 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4151 | 16 | 3 |
| 2000s | #5545 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Lark
- Lily 72,956
- Lucy 70,663
- Lauren 50,664
- Leah 33,185
- Lola 24,525
- Layla 24,520
- Laura 23,471
- Lilly 21,714
- Lydia 18,353
- Libby 14,515
- Lara 13,415
- Lacey 13,406
FAQ
Lark: questions and answers
How popular is the name Lark in the UK right now?
In 2024, Lark was ranked #4192 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Lark most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 11 babies registered as Lark in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Lark?
Small brown songbird known for its melodious singing.
How many people are called Lark in the UK?
A total of 52 babies have been registered as Lark across the 9 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.