UK boy's name
Munro
A Scottish masculine name derived from Gaelic meaning "river mouth".
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.
Munro is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Munro popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 6 births.
This profile covers 47 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1997 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 83% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 199 living people in the UK are called Munro. 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
- • Munro ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 6 boys were registered as Munro.
- • Munro ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #307 in 2024.
- • About 199 living people in the UK are estimated to have Munro as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2013
6 births
Estimated living
199
2026
Meaning
What does Munro mean?
The name Munro has its origins in the Scottish Gaelic language and is derived from the Gaelic words "muine" meaning "hill" or "mountain" and "ruadh" meaning "red-haired". It was initially used to describe someone with red hair who lived on or near a hill or mountain.
The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in Scottish clan records and historical documents. In 1263, a charter from King Alexander III mentioned a "Gillecrist Munro" who was granted lands in the area that is now known as Ross-shire.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Munro. One of the earliest was Sir Robert Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis (c.1512-1588), a Scottish military leader who fought in the Scottish Reformation and the Anglo-Scottish Wars.
Another prominent figure was Hector Munro, 8th of Novar (1635-1691), a Scottish soldier who served in the Dutch Army and later became a general in the Scots Brigade in the service of the Dutch Republic.
In the 18th century, Sir Thomas Munro (1761-1827) was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Madras Presidency in British India.
Moving to the 19th century, Hugh Andrew Johnstone Munro (1819-1885) was a Scottish soldier and linguist who served in the British Indian Army and made significant contributions to the study of Dravidian languages.
In the literary world, Hector Hugh Munro (1870-1916), better known by his pen name "Saki," was a British writer renowned for his witty and satirical short stories.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Munro, a name that has its roots in the Scottish Highlands and has been borne by soldiers, administrators, linguists, and writers over the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Munro over time
The chart below shows babies named Munro 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 Munro, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Munro by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Munro 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 | #3511 | 10 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3701 | 28 | 6 |
| 2000s | #3997 | 6 | 2 |
| 1990s | #2859 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Munro is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Munro. 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.
Munro ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #307 in 2024.
Across the UK
Munro in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#307 in 2024
20 years of NRS records, 153 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Munro
-
Munro Price
historian; university teacher; historian of Modern Age
British historian
1963-
Related
Names similar to Munro
- 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
Munro: questions and answers
How popular is the name Munro in the UK right now?
In 2024, Munro was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Munro most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 6 babies registered as Munro in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Munro?
A Scottish masculine name derived from Gaelic meaning "river mouth".
How many people are called Munro in the UK?
A total of 47 babies have been registered as Munro across the 11 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 153 more in Scotland.
Where is Munro most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Munro ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #307 in 2024. 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.