UK girl's name
Mehreen
A feminine name of Persian origin meaning "loving, affectionate, kind-hearted".
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.
Mehreen is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mehreen popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #902, with 40 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 50 births.
This profile covers 769 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 782 living people in the UK are called Mehreen. 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
- • Mehreen ranked #902 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 40 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2012, when 50 girls were registered as Mehreen.
- • Mehreen ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #640 in 2002.
- • About 782 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mehreen as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#902
2024
Births in 2024
40
Latest year
Peak year
2012
50 births
Estimated living
782
2026
Meaning
What does Mehreen mean?
The name Mehreen is of Arabic origin and has its roots in the Persian language. It is derived from the word "mehr," which means "sun" or "light." The name is believed to have originated during the Islamic Golden Age, which spanned from the 8th to the 13th centuries, when Arabic and Persian cultures flourished in the Middle East and Central Asia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mehreen can be found in the Persian poetry of the 12th century. The renowned poet Nizami Ganjavi, who lived from 1141 to 1209, mentioned a character named Mehreen in his epic poem, "Khosrow and Shirin." This work is considered a masterpiece of Persian literature and has had a significant influence on the Persian literary tradition.
In the 14th century, a Persian mystic and poet named Mehreen Afsari gained recognition for her spiritual writings and contributions to Sufism. She lived from 1320 to 1380 and was known for her deep devotion to the mystical path.
During the Mughal Empire, which ruled a significant part of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the name Mehreen was popular among the nobility and affluent classes. One notable figure was Mehreen Nisa, a 17th-century noblewoman and poet who was born in 1612 and was renowned for her literary talents.
In the 18th century, Mehreen Begum, a princess from the Nawab dynasty of Bengal, played a significant role in the cultural and political landscape of the region. She was born in 1720 and was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for educational institutions.
Another notable figure was Mehreen Banu, a 19th-century philanthropist and social reformer from the princely state of Rampur in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India. Born in 1810, she dedicated her life to improving the lives of women and promoting education.
Throughout history, the name Mehreen has been associated with grace, beauty, and intellectual pursuits. Its connection to the sun and light has also made it a popular choice for parents seeking a name that symbolizes radiance and positivity.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mehreen over time
The chart below shows babies named Mehreen 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 Mehreen, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 40 births in 2024, compared with 50 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mehreen by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mehreen 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 | #1225 | 142 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1089 | 343 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1211 | 216 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1209 | 68 | 4 |
Geography
Where Mehreen is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Mehreen. 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.
Mehreen ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #640 in 2002.
Across the UK
Mehreen in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#640 in 2002
5 years of NRS records, 17 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Mehreen
-
Mehreen Khan
journalist
British journalist
Related
Names similar to Mehreen
- 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
Mehreen: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mehreen in the UK right now?
In 2024, Mehreen was ranked #902 for girls in England and Wales, with 40 births registered.
When was Mehreen most popular?
The peak year on record was 2012, with 50 babies registered as Mehreen in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mehreen?
A feminine name of Persian origin meaning "loving, affectionate, kind-hearted".
How many people are called Mehreen in the UK?
A total of 769 babies have been registered as Mehreen across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 17 more in Scotland.
Where is Mehreen most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Mehreen ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #640 in 2002. 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.