UK girl's name
Mehr
An Arabic name meaning "love" or "affection".
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.
Mehr is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mehr popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 13 births.
This profile covers 143 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1997 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 77% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 142 living people in the UK are called Mehr. 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
- • Mehr ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 13 girls were registered as Mehr.
- • About 142 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mehr as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2574
2024
Births in 2024
10
Latest year
Peak year
2020
13 births
Estimated living
142
2026
Meaning
What does Mehr mean?
The name Mehr traces its origins to the Persian language, where it means "kind," "loving," or "affectionate." It has been a popular name in Iran and other regions influenced by Persian culture for centuries.
In ancient Persia, Mehr was associated with the Zoroastrian goddess of love and friendship, Mithra. The name appears in various ancient Persian texts and inscriptions, reflecting its deep roots in the region's history and mythology.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Mehr was Mehr Narseh, a prominent Iranian nobleman and military commander who lived in the 7th century AD during the Sassanid Empire. He played a crucial role in the defense of Persia against the Arab invasions.
In the 11th century, Mehr-e Uddat al-Kuttab, also known as Mehr Qawwam al-Dawlah, was a renowned Persian calligrapher and poet. He is celebrated for his contributions to the art of calligraphy and his beautiful poetic works.
During the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th century, Mehr Ali Sani, a prominent Persian architect, designed and constructed several magnificent mosques and architectural masterpieces, including the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Isfahan.
In the 19th century, Mehr Ali Khan Hizam al-Saltanah was a influential Iranian statesman and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Persia from 1878 to 1892.
Another notable figure with the name Mehr was Mehr Angiz Khanum, a 19th-century Iranian painter and calligrapher. She was one of the few women artists of her time and is celebrated for her intricate and beautiful works of art.
The name Mehr has also been used by various poets, writers, and scholars throughout Persian history, reflecting its cultural significance and literary associations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mehr over time
The chart below shows babies named Mehr registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Mehr, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mehr by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mehr 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 | #2290 | 58 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4145 | 59 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3875 | 21 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2738 | 5 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Mehr
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Mehr: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mehr in the UK right now?
In 2024, Mehr was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.
When was Mehr most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 13 babies registered as Mehr in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mehr?
An Arabic name meaning "love" or "affection".
How many people are called Mehr in the UK?
A total of 143 babies have been registered as Mehr across the 21 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.