UK name, mostly girls
Praise
A feminine given name derived from the English word for expressing gratitude.
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.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 176 boys.
Praise is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Praise popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1541, with 20 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 26 births.
This profile covers 292 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 2001 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 77% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 294 living people in the UK are called Praise. 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
- • Praise ranked #1541 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 20 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 26 girls were registered as Praise.
- • Praise ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #792 in 2021.
- • Praise is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 294 living people in the UK are estimated to have Praise as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 62.4% of Praise registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1541
2024
Births in 2024
20
Latest year
Peak year
2010
26 births
Estimated living
294
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Praise
In England and Wales birth records, Praise has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 37.6% of registrations are for boys and 62.4% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Praise registered for boys
- Ranked #2,088 in 2024
- 11 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2009 (12 births)
Praise registered for girls
- Ranked #1,541 in 2024
- 20 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2010 (26 births)
Meaning
What does Praise mean?
The name Praise has its origins in the English language, derived from the verb "to praise," which means to express admiration or approval. This name became popular during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries, when English Puritans embraced virtue names that reflected their religious beliefs and values.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Praise can be found in the Puritan religious text "The Spiritual Navigation" published in 1615. This work by John Everard includes a character named Praise-God Barebones, highlighting the Puritans' penchant for using such names to honor their faith.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Praise. One prominent example is Praise-God Trant, an English Puritan minister who lived from 1619 to 1669. He served as a chaplain in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War and was known for his fervent religious beliefs.
Another individual with this name was Praise-God Barebone, a prominent English Puritan who lived from 1598 to 1679. He was a member of the Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Nominated Parliament, which ruled England for a brief period in 1653 during the Interregnum between the reigns of Charles I and Charles II.
In the United States, one notable figure with the name Praise was Praise Lewis, an African American abolitionist and writer who lived from 1825 to 1892. He was a former slave who became a prominent advocate for the abolition of slavery and the rights of African Americans.
Another individual with this name was Praise Deverell, an English soldier and politician who lived from 1658 to 1739. He served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in various military campaigns during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
While the name Praise was more prevalent in earlier centuries, particularly among Puritan communities, it has become less common in modern times. However, its historical significance as a virtue name reflecting religious devotion and admiration remains an integral part of its legacy.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Praise over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Praise in England and Wales, from 1999 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 Praise, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 20 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Praise by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Praise 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 | #2548 | 54 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1966 | 160 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2402 | 78 | 8 |
Geography
Where Praise is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Praise. 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.
Praise ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #792 in 2021.
Across the UK
Praise in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#792 in 2021
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Praise
- Poppy 52,802
- Phoebe 47,609
- Paige 24,717
- Penelope 13,109
- Pippa 6,346
- Polly 5,678
- Philippa 4,446
- Penny 4,394
- Paris 4,372
- Piper 3,961
- Pearl 3,516
- Paisley 3,419
FAQ
Praise: questions and answers
How popular is the name Praise in the UK right now?
In 2024, Praise was ranked #1541 for girls in England and Wales, with 20 births registered.
When was Praise most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 26 babies registered as Praise in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Praise?
A feminine given name derived from the English word for expressing gratitude.
How many people are called Praise in the UK?
A total of 292 babies have been registered as Praise across the 23 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Praise most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Praise ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #792 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.