NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Quin

Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Conn, meaning "leader" or "chief".

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.

Quin is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Quin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1701, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 14 births.

This profile covers 105 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 2005 to 2023. 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.

Quin is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.

We estimate that about 109 living people in the UK are called Quin. 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

  • Quin ranked #1701 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 14 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2023, when 14 boys were registered as Quin.
  • Quin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #532 in 2016.
  • About 109 living people in the UK are estimated to have Quin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 86.8% of Quin registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1701

2023

Births in 2023

14

Latest year

Peak year

2023

14 births

Estimated living

109

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Quin

In England and Wales birth records, Quin has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 86.8% of registrations are for boys and 13.2% 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.

87% boys
13% girls
Boys105 (86.8%)Girls16 (13.2%)

Quin registered for boys

  • Ranked #1,701 in 2023
  • 14 boys registered in 2023
  • Peak: 2023 (14 births)

Quin registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,891 in 2024
  • 3 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2019 (4 births)

Meaning

What does Quin mean?

The name Quin has its origins in the ancient Irish language, tracing back to the 5th century AD. It is derived from the old Irish word "cuinn," which means "chief" or "leader." This name was widely used among the Gaelic clans and tribes of Ireland during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Quin can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a historical chronicle that documents events in Ireland from the 5th century to the 16th century. The annals mention a prominent figure named Quin mac Cairill, who was a king of the Uí Néill dynasty in the late 5th century.

The name Quin also appears in several ancient Irish manuscripts and religious texts. For example, the Book of Leinster, a 12th-century manuscript, contains references to various individuals named Quin who held influential positions within the church or were members of noble families.

Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Quin. One of the most famous was Quin Ó Fearghail (1460-1536), an Irish chieftain and Lord of Annaly in County Longford. He played a significant role in the Irish resistance against the English Crown during the 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Quin Éoghan Ó Súilleabháin (1670-1735), an Irish harper and composer who is credited with preserving and popularizing traditional Irish music during a time when it was in decline.

In the 18th century, Quin Chadwick (1711-1786) was a renowned British actor who performed in many of William Shakespeare's plays. He was particularly celebrated for his roles in comedies and is considered one of the greatest actors of his time.

Moving forward to the 19th century, Quin Morton (1838-1912) was an American author and journalist who wrote extensively about the American Civil War. His eyewitness accounts and vivid descriptions of the battles and events he covered are highly regarded by historians.

Finally, in the 20th century, Quin Denvir (1910-1998) was an Irish lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of Ireland from 1957 to 1973. He played a crucial role in shaping the legal system and advocating for civil rights in Ireland during a tumultuous period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Quin over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Quin in England and Wales, from 2005 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 Quin, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2023, compared with 14 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0491317200520142024

Decades

Quin by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Quin 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 #2369 37 4
2010s #3318 50 9
2000s #3327 18 4

Geography

Where Quin is most common

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

Quin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #532 in 2016.

Scotland
5

Across the UK

Quin in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#532 in 2016

1 years of NRS records, 5 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Quin

  • Quin John Sprague

    (born 1959)

    1959-

Related

Names similar to Quin

FAQ

Quin: questions and answers

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

In 2023, Quin was ranked #1701 for boys in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.

When was Quin most popular?

The peak year on record was 2023, with 14 babies registered as Quin in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Quin?

Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Conn, meaning "leader" or "chief".

How many people are called Quin in the UK?

A total of 105 babies have been registered as Quin across the 17 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 5 more in Scotland.

Where is Quin most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Quin ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #532 in 2016. 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.