UK boy's name
Morten
A masculine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "dweller by the marsh".
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.
Morten is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Morten 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 2011, with 8 births.
This profile covers 46 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1997 to 2015. 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 46 living people in the UK are called Morten. 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
- • Morten ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2011, when 8 boys were registered as Morten.
- • About 46 living people in the UK are estimated to have Morten as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4747
2015
Births in 2015
3
Latest year
Peak year
2011
8 births
Estimated living
46
2026
Meaning
What does Morten mean?
The name Morten is derived from the Old Norse name Mordur, which is a combination of the words "mor" meaning "marsh" or "moor" and "dyr" meaning "deer." The name originates from Scandinavia, particularly Denmark and Norway, where it was popular during the Viking era. It is believed to have been a name given to individuals who lived near marshlands or hunted deer in those regions.
In ancient Norse mythology, there are references to a god named Mordur, who was associated with hunting and the natural world. This could potentially be the origin of the name, as it was common for Norse names to be inspired by their gods or natural elements.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Morten can be found in the Icelandic sagas, where a character named Morten Borgsson is mentioned in the 13th century Sturlunga saga. This suggests that the name was in use in Scandinavia at least as early as the Middle Ages.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Morten. One of the most famous was Morten Lauridsen (1943-), a Danish-American composer known for his choral works, such as "O Magnum Mysterium" and "Lux Aeterna." Another prominent figure was Morten Valkendorf (1518-1597), a Danish Protestant reformer and theologian who played a significant role in the Reformation in Denmark.
In the field of science, Morten Tholstrup Blicher (1915-1988) was a Danish physicist who made important contributions to the study of particle physics and the development of accelerators. Morten Hammar (1914-1998) was a Swedish writer and journalist who gained recognition for his novels and short stories.
The name Morten has also been associated with royalty, as evidenced by Morten, Duke of Zealand (1919-1944), a member of the Danish royal family who served in the Danish resistance movement during World War II.
Despite its Scandinavian roots, the name Morten has gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in Europe and North America, where it has been adopted and adapted to different cultural contexts.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Morten over time
The chart below shows babies named Morten registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Morten, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2015, compared with 8 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Morten by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Morten 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 | #3909 | 18 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3479 | 25 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2859 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Morten
- 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
Morten: questions and answers
How popular is the name Morten in the UK right now?
In 2015, Morten was ranked #4747 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Morten most popular?
The peak year on record was 2011, with 8 babies registered as Morten in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Morten?
A masculine name of Scandinavian origin meaning "dweller by the marsh".
How many people are called Morten in the UK?
A total of 46 babies have been registered as Morten across the 11 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.