NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Pol

A masculine Greek name derived from the word "polis" meaning "city".

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.

Pol is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Pol popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 3 births.

This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2019 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 39 living people in the UK are called Pol. 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

  • Pol ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2019, when 3 boys were registered as Pol.
  • Pol ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #374 in 2021.
  • About 39 living people in the UK are estimated to have Pol as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5119

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2019

3 births

Estimated living

39

2026

Meaning

What does Pol mean?

The name Pol has its origins in the Slavic languages, specifically in Polish and Czech. It is derived from the old Slavic word "polny," which means "field" or "open country." The name has been in use since at least the 10th century AD, around the time when Slavic tribes began to settle in Central and Eastern Europe.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pol can be found in the 11th-century Polish chronicle known as the "Gesta Principum Polonorum" (Deeds of the Princes of Poland). In this text, Pol is mentioned as the name of a legendary prince who ruled over the region of Greater Poland.

Throughout history, the name Pol has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Pol Pot (1925-1998), the Cambodian revolutionary and leader of the Khmer Rouge. His brutal regime in the late 1970s led to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians.

Another historical figure with the name Pol was Pol Bury (1922-2005), a Belgian painter and sculptor who was a prominent figure in the Kinetic Art movement. His works often incorporated movement and optical illusions, challenging traditional notions of static art.

In the world of literature, Pol Gregor (1838-1927) was a notable Slovenian poet and playwright. He is best known for his lyrical poetry, which often celebrated the natural beauty of his homeland and explored themes of love and nationalism.

The name Pol has also been associated with religious figures. For example, Pol de León (1528-1591) was a Spanish Dominican friar and missionary who played a significant role in the evangelization of Mexico and the establishment of the Dominican Order in the Americas.

In the realm of science, Pol Bauwhuis (1901-1995) was a Dutch mathematician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics, particularly in the study of the motion of planets and other celestial bodies.

While the name Pol may not be as common today as it once was, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields throughout the centuries. Its Slavic origins and association with the natural world have given it a distinctive character and enduring appeal.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Pol over time

The chart below shows babies named Pol registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2019 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 Pol, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Pol
01223201920212024

Decades

Pol by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Pol 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 #5119 3 1
2010s #4702 3 1

Geography

Where Pol is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Pol. 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.

Pol ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #374 in 2021.

Northern Ireland
4

Across the UK

Pol in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#374 in 2021

8 years of NISRA records, 33 total registered

Related

Names similar to Pol

FAQ

Pol: questions and answers

How popular is the name Pol in the UK right now?

In 2024, Pol was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Pol most popular?

The peak year on record was 2019, with 3 babies registered as Pol in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Pol?

A masculine Greek name derived from the word "polis" meaning "city".

How many people are called Pol in the UK?

A total of 6 babies have been registered as Pol across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here and 33 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Pol most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Pol ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #374 in 2021. 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.