UK girl's name
Meral
A Turkish feminine name meaning "coral" or "ruby red".
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.
Meral is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Meral popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 12 births.
This profile covers 82 England and Wales registrations across 16 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 25% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 82 living people in the UK are called Meral. 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
- • Meral ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 12 girls were registered as Meral.
- • About 82 living people in the UK are estimated to have Meral as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2019
12 births
Estimated living
82
2026
Meaning
What does Meral mean?
The name Meral is of Turkish origin, derived from the Persian word "meral," which means "ruby" or "gem." This name has been in use since the Ottoman Empire period in the 15th to 20th centuries.
The earliest recorded use of the name Meral dates back to the 16th century, when it was mentioned in Ottoman court records and literature. It was particularly popular among the elite classes and was often given to daughters of noblemen and high-ranking officials.
One of the earliest known historical figures with the name Meral was Meral Hatun, a 16th-century Ottoman princess and the daughter of Sultan Selim II. She was known for her beauty and her patronage of the arts and literature.
Another notable figure bearing the name Meral was Meral Çelebi, a 17th-century Ottoman calligrapher and poet. She was renowned for her exceptional calligraphic skills and her contributions to the development of Ottoman literature.
In the 19th century, Meral Sami Pasha was a prominent Ottoman statesman and diplomat. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and played a crucial role in the modernization efforts of the Ottoman Empire.
A more recent historical figure with the name Meral was Meral Akıncı, a Turkish author and activist born in 1919. She was known for her works that addressed social issues and women's rights in Turkey.
Meral Aksener, born in 1952, is a contemporary Turkish politician and the former leader of the İYİ Party (Good Party). She has been a prominent figure in Turkish politics for several decades and has served as a member of parliament and as the Minister of Interior.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Meral. The name's Persian origin and its long-standing association with the Ottoman Empire and Turkish culture have contributed to its enduring presence and significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Meral over time
The chart below shows babies named Meral 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 Meral, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 12 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Meral by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Meral 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 | #4529 | 22 | 5 |
| 2010s | #4028 | 49 | 8 |
| 2000s | #4569 | 8 | 2 |
| 1990s | #3824 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Meral
- 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
Meral: questions and answers
How popular is the name Meral in the UK right now?
In 2024, Meral was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Meral most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 12 babies registered as Meral in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Meral?
A Turkish feminine name meaning "coral" or "ruby red".
How many people are called Meral in the UK?
A total of 82 babies have been registered as Meral across the 16 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.