UK boy's name
Moritz
A masculine German name derived from the Old High German elements "mari" (renowned) and "wiz" (wise).
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Moritz is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Moritz popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4702, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 7 births.
This profile covers 28 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2002 to 2019. 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 28 living people in the UK are called Moritz. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Moritz ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 7 boys were registered as Moritz.
- • About 28 living people in the UK are estimated to have Moritz as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4702
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
7 births
Estimated living
28
2026
Meaning
What does Moritz mean?
The name Moritz is a German variant of the Latin name Mauritius, which is derived from the Roman surname Maurus, meaning "Moor" or "dark-skinned person." This name has its roots in the ancient Roman Empire and was initially used to refer to people from North Africa or the Mediterranean region.
The name Mauritius gained popularity in the early Christian era, particularly after the 3rd century AD, when it was borne by several early Christian saints and martyrs. One notable example is Saint Maurice, a Roman military leader who was martyred along with his entire Christian legion in the late 3rd century AD for refusing to persecute fellow Christians.
In the Middle Ages, the name Moritz became widely used throughout German-speaking regions of Europe, often associated with nobility and royalty. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moritz is the Holy Roman Emperor Moritz of Saxony, who ruled from 1541 to 1553.
Over the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Moritz. These include the German mathematician and astronomer Moritz Steinbart (1801-1837), who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics, and the German composer Moritz Moszkowski (1854-1925), known for his virtuosic piano works.
Another famous Moritz was the German philosopher and psychologist Moritz Schlick (1882-1936), a prominent figure in the Vienna Circle and a key proponent of logical positivism. In the realm of literature, the name is associated with the acclaimed German writer Moritz Hartmann (1821-1872), renowned for his novels and poetry depicting rural life in the Black Forest region.
The name Moritz has also been carried by several royals and aristocrats throughout history, such as Moritz, Prince of Hesse-Kassel (1572-1632), a prominent military leader during the Thirty Years' War, and Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (1926-1980), a member of the German nobility in the 20th century.
While the name Moritz has its origins in ancient Rome and has been widely used in German-speaking regions for centuries, it has also gained popularity in other parts of Europe and beyond, serving as a testament to the enduring legacy and cultural significance of this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Moritz over time
The chart below shows babies named Moritz registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Moritz, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Moritz by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Moritz 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 | #4237 | 16 | 4 |
| 2000s | #4059 | 12 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Moritz
- 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
Moritz: questions and answers
How popular is the name Moritz in the UK right now?
In 2019, Moritz was ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Moritz most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 7 babies registered as Moritz in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Moritz?
A masculine German name derived from the Old High German elements "mari" (renowned) and "wiz" (wise).
How many people are called Moritz in the UK?
A total of 28 babies have been registered as Moritz across the 8 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.