NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Quinn

A gender-neutral name of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Conn".

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 girls' name in the UK, with 2,139 girls.

Quinn is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Quinn popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #328, with 134 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 219 births.

This profile covers 2,941 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland 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 61% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 3,354 living people in the UK are called Quinn. 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

  • Quinn ranked #328 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 134 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2017, when 219 boys were registered as Quinn.
  • Quinn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #227 in 2024.
  • Quinn is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 3,354 living people in the UK are estimated to have Quinn as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 57.9% of Quinn registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#328

2024

Births in 2024

134

Latest year

Peak year

2017

219 births

Estimated living

3,354

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Quinn

In England and Wales birth records, Quinn has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 57.9% of registrations are for boys and 42.1% 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.

58% boys
42% girls
Boys2,941 (57.9%)Girls2,139 (42.1%)

Quinn registered for boys

  • Ranked #328 in 2024
  • 134 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2017 (219 births)

Quinn registered for girls

  • Ranked #273 in 2024
  • 174 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2022 (220 births)

Meaning

What does Quinn mean?

The given name Quinn is an Anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Cuinn, which means "descendant of Conn." Conn was a legendary king of Ireland in the 2nd century AD. The name Conn is derived from the Old Irish word "cond," meaning "reason" or "sense."

The name Quinn first gained popularity in medieval Ireland, where it was used as a surname for those descended from the legendary King Conn. However, its usage as a first name did not become widespread until the 19th century, particularly in English-speaking countries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Quinn as a first name dates back to the late 16th century, when an Irish chieftain named Quinn O'Daly was documented in historical records. In the 17th century, an Irish Catholic priest named Quinn MacCaghwell gained recognition for his efforts in preserving Irish language and culture during the Penal Laws.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Quinn. In the 19th century, Quinn Blackburn (1822-1865) was an American Civil War veteran and lawyer. In the early 20th century, Quinn Martin (1915-1987) was an American television producer and writer, best known for creating popular shows like The Fugitive and The FBI.

Other notable Quinns include Quinn Buckner (born 1954), an American basketball player and Olympic gold medalist; Quinn Cummings (born 1967), an American actress and author; and Quinn Ewers (born 2003), a highly-touted American football prospect.

The name Quinn has also been associated with several literary and artistic figures. For instance, the American writer Quinn Eli (born 1954) is known for his novels and short stories. In the world of music, Quinn Sullivan (born 1999) is a blues guitarist and singer who gained recognition at a young age.

While the name Quinn has its roots in Irish history and culture, it has transcended its origins and gained popularity across various cultures and regions, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its strong association with notable individuals from different fields has contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Quinn over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Quinn in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Quinn, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 134 births in 2024, compared with 219 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0100201301401199620102024

Decades

Quinn by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Quinn 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 #307 734 5
2010s #319 1,525 10
2000s #492 567 10
1990s #742 115 4

Geography

Where Quinn is most common

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

Quinn ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #227 in 2024.

Scotland
18
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Quinn in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#227 in 2024

24 years of NRS records, 355 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#404 in 2024

16 years of NISRA records, 79 total registered

Related

Names similar to Quinn

FAQ

Quinn: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Quinn was ranked #328 for boys in England and Wales, with 134 births registered.

When was Quinn most popular?

The peak year on record was 2017, with 219 babies registered as Quinn in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Quinn?

A gender-neutral name of Irish origin meaning "descendant of Conn".

How many people are called Quinn in the UK?

A total of 2,941 babies have been registered as Quinn across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 355 more in Scotland and 79 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Quinn most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Quinn ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #227 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.