UK boy's name
Nalan
A feminine name of Tamil origin meaning "beautiful.".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nalan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nalan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2016 to 2023. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Nalan. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nalan ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 3 boys were registered as Nalan.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nalan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2016
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Nalan mean?
The name Nalan has its origins in the Tamil language, which is predominantly spoken in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the neighboring regions. Its earliest roots can be traced back to ancient Tamil literature and inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century BCE.
Nalan is derived from the Tamil word "Nalam," which means "goodness" or "virtue." It was a common name among the Tamil people, particularly among the noble and scholarly classes, as it embodied the virtues and values they aspired to uphold.
In the ancient Tamil epic, the Silappadikaram, dated around the 5th century CE, there is a character named Nalan Kadignar, a celebrated poet and scholar revered for his wisdom and literary contributions. This early reference suggests that the name Nalan was already in use during that period.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Nalan was Nalan Chidambaran, a renowned Tamil philosopher and poet who lived in the 9th century CE. He was known for his works on Saiva Siddhanta philosophy and his poetic compositions.
Nalan Kumarasamy Pillai (1827-1899) was a prominent Tamil scholar, educator, and social reformer from the 19th century. He played a significant role in promoting Tamil education and literature, and was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions in Tamil Nadu.
Nalan Chakravarthi Reddy (1924-2022) was an Indian writer, poet, and journalist who made significant contributions to Telugu literature. He was a recipient of several prestigious literary awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri.
Nalan Xingde (born 1665) was a Chinese philosopher and writer during the Qing dynasty. Although not directly related to the Tamil origin of the name, his works on Neo-Confucianism and ethics gained him recognition in Chinese intellectual circles.
Nalan Sukkhadia (born 1932) is an Indian writer and poet from Rajasthan, known for his contributions to the Rajasthani language and literature. He has received numerous accolades, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Shri.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nalan over time
The chart below shows babies named Nalan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2016 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nalan, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nalan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nalan 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 | #4991 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4810 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Nalan
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Nalan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nalan in the UK right now?
In 2023, Nalan was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nalan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 3 babies registered as Nalan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nalan?
A feminine name of Tamil origin meaning "beautiful.".
How many people are called Nalan in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Nalan across the 2 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.