UK name, mostly boys
Legacy
Something inherited or handed down from the past.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 6 girls.
Legacy is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Legacy popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 3 births.
This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2021 to 2023. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Legacy. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Legacy ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 3 boys were registered as Legacy.
- • Legacy is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Legacy as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 60.0% of Legacy registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2021
3 births
Estimated living
9
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Legacy
In England and Wales birth records, Legacy has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 60.0% of registrations are for boys and 40.0% 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.
Legacy registered for boys
- Ranked #4,991 in 2023
- 3 boys registered in 2023
- Peak: 2021 (3 births)
Legacy registered for girls
- Ranked #5,687 in 2023
- 3 girls registered in 2023
- Peak: 2022 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Legacy mean?
The name Legacy is an English word derived from the Latin term "legatus", which means "ambassador" or "messenger". It gained popularity as a given name in the late 20th century, reflecting a desire to imbue a child with a sense of heritage, tradition, and lasting impact.
Legacy as a name can be traced back to the early 17th century, when it was occasionally used as a surname or a descriptor rather than a proper given name. One of the earliest recorded instances of Legacy as a first name dates back to the late 19th century, with a man named Legacy Fenderson born in 1886 in Mississippi, United States.
Throughout history, the name Legacy has been associated with individuals who have left a lasting mark on their respective fields or communities. One notable example is Legacy Russell, an American author, artist, and curator born in 1984, known for her work exploring the intersections of art, culture, and identity.
Another individual with the name Legacy is Legacy Petritz, an American singer-songwriter and musician born in 1994, who has gained recognition for her contributions to the indie rock and alternative music scenes.
In the realm of sports, Legacy Denied is a professional wrestler born in 1990, who has competed in various independent wrestling promotions across the United States.
The name Legacy has also been given to individuals born into families with a strong heritage or tradition, serving as a symbolic representation of their lineage and the responsibility to carry forward their family's legacy.
While not as common as some other names, Legacy has gained popularity in recent decades, with parents choosing it as a unique and meaningful name for their children, reflecting a desire to inspire them to leave a lasting impact on the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Legacy over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Legacy in England and Wales, from 2021 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Legacy, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Legacy by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Legacy 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 | #4856 | 9 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Legacy
- Luke 72,247
- Lewis 69,555
- Leo 63,249
- Liam 60,482
- Lucas 49,061
- Logan 40,771
- Louis 35,898
- Luca 30,323
- Louie 24,242
- Leon 22,308
- Levi 9,931
- Lee 7,861
FAQ
Legacy: questions and answers
How popular is the name Legacy in the UK right now?
In 2023, Legacy was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Legacy most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 3 babies registered as Legacy in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Legacy?
Something inherited or handed down from the past.
How many people are called Legacy in the UK?
A total of 9 babies have been registered as Legacy across the 3 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.