UK name, mostly boys
Man
A name for an adult male human being of the species Homo sapiens.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 23 girls.
Man is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Man popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4747, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 8 births.
This profile covers 56 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 1996 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 80 living people in the UK are called Man. 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 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Man ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 8 boys were registered as Man.
- • Man ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #380 in 1992.
- • Man is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 80 living people in the UK are estimated to have Man as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 70.9% of Man registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4747
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
2001
8 births
Estimated living
80
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Man
In England and Wales birth records, Man has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 70.9% of registrations are for boys and 29.1% 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.
Man registered for boys
- Ranked #4,747 in 2015
- 3 boys registered in 2015
- Peak: 2001 (8 births)
Man registered for girls
- Ranked #4,739 in 2013
- 4 girls registered in 2013
- Peak: 1998 (4 births)
Meaning
What does Man mean?
The name Man is an ancient given name that originates from the Sanskrit language, which was spoken in the Indian subcontinent during the Iron Age. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word "manas," which means "mind" or "intellect." It was a popular name among the Brahmin caste in ancient India and was often given to individuals who were considered to be wise or intellectually gifted.
The earliest recorded use of the name Man can be found in the Hindu scriptures, such as the Vedas and the Upanishads, which date back to around 1500 BCE. In these texts, the name is often associated with philosophical and spiritual concepts, reflecting the importance of the mind and intellect in Hindu traditions.
One of the most famous individuals named Man in ancient India was Man Singh I, who ruled the kingdom of Amber (now part of Rajasthan) from 1589 to 1614 CE. He was a skilled military leader and a patron of the arts, and his reign saw the construction of many architectural marvels, including the Amber Fort.
In the field of literature, Man Singh Dhadha (1933-2023) was a renowned Punjabi poet and writer who made significant contributions to the literary landscape of Punjab. His works explored themes of social justice, human rights, and the struggles of the common people.
Another notable figure with the name Man was Man Mohan Adhikari (1920-1999), a Nepali scholar and writer who played a crucial role in preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Nepal. He was instrumental in establishing the Royal Nepal Academy and served as its first vice-chancellor.
In the realm of sports, Man Kaur (born in 1916) is a remarkable Indian athlete who has set numerous world records in track and field events for her age group. She began competing in her nineties and continues to inspire people around the world with her dedication and determination.
While the name Man has its roots in ancient India, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly in regions where Indian diaspora communities have settled. However, its usage as a given name remains relatively uncommon outside of South Asia.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Man over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Man in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2015. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Man, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Man by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Man 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 | #4321 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #2656 | 32 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2339 | 17 | 4 |
Geography
Where Man is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Man. 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.
Man ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #380 in 1992.
Across the UK
Man in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#380 in 1992
7 years of NRS records, 25 total registered
Related
Names similar to Man
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Man: questions and answers
How popular is the name Man in the UK right now?
In 2015, Man was ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Man most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 8 babies registered as Man in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Man?
A name for an adult male human being of the species Homo sapiens.
How many people are called Man in the UK?
A total of 56 babies have been registered as Man across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 25 more in Scotland.
Where is Man most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Man ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #380 in 1992. 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.