UK girl's name
Scarlett
A feminine name of uncertain origin, perhaps from scarlet, the vivid red color.
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.
Scarlett is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Scarlett popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #79, with 610 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 2,643 births.
This profile covers 34,261 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 23% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 36,019 living people in the UK are called Scarlett. 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
- • Scarlett ranked #79 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 610 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 2,643 girls were registered as Scarlett.
- • Scarlett ranks best in North East in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #1 in 2016.
- • About 36,019 living people in the UK are estimated to have Scarlett as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#79
2024
Births in 2024
610
Latest year
Peak year
2013
2,643 births
Estimated living
36,019
2026
Meaning
What does Scarlett mean?
The name Scarlett has its origins in the Old French word "escarlate", which in turn derives from the Persian word "saqalāt", meaning a rich fabric or cloth dyed with a deep red color. This association with the vivid red hue explains the name's connection to the intense red shade known as scarlet.
The name Scarlett is believed to have first emerged in England during the Middle Ages, when it was used as a descriptive surname for individuals who worked with or traded in the vibrant scarlet-colored cloth. Over time, the surname transitioned into a first name, particularly for girls.
One of the earliest recorded instances of Scarlett as a given name can be found in the 16th century. In 1592, a Scarlett Burgoyne was recorded in the parish registers of St. Dunstan's, Stepney, in London.
Throughout history, the name Scarlett has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Scarlett O'Hara, the fictional protagonist of Margaret Mitchell's renowned novel "Gone With the Wind" published in 1936. This iconic literary character played a significant role in popularizing the name in the 20th century.
Another prominent figure with the name Scarlett was Scarlett Pomers (born 1988), an American actress best known for her role as Kyra Hart on the television series "Reba".
In the realm of literature, Scarlett Thomas (born 1972) is a British author and professor, known for her novels such as "Bright Young Things" and "The Seed Collectors".
Scarlett Johansson (born 1984) is a celebrated American actress who has received numerous accolades, including a Tony Award and a British Academy Film Award. She is best known for her roles in films like "Lost in Translation", "The Avengers" series, and "Marriage Story".
Lastly, Scarlett Byrne (born 1990) is a British actress and model, best recognized for her portrayal of Pansy Parkinson in the "Harry Potter" film series.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Scarlett, a name that has transcended its original association with a vivid red hue to become a popular given name in its own right.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Scarlett over time
The chart below shows babies named Scarlett registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Scarlett, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 610 births in 2024, compared with 2,643 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Scarlett by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Scarlett 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 | #64 | 3,861 | 5 |
| 2010s | #25 | 19,932 | 10 |
| 2000s | #85 | 9,599 | 10 |
| 1990s | #198 | 869 | 4 |
Geography
Where Scarlett is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Scarlett. 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.
Scarlett ranks best in North East in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #1 in 2016.
Across the UK
Scarlett in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#124 in 2024
30 years of NRS records, 1,094 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#84 in 2024
23 years of NISRA records, 842 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Scarlett
-
Scarlett Thomas
television actor
English actress
2008-
-
Scarlett Hill
association football player
Welsh association football player (born 2007)
2007-
-
Scarlett Mew Jensen
competitive diver
British diver
2001-
-
Scarlett Sangster
author; editor; copywriter
British author
1994-
-
Scarlett Byrne
actor; film actor
British actress
1990-
-
Scarlett Moffatt
entertainer
English reality television personality and presenter
1990-
-
Scarlett Mellish Wilson
actor; film actor; model
British model and dancer
1989-
-
Scarlett Mack
actor
Irish/Scottish actress
1989-
Related
Names similar to Scarlett
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
- Savannah 8,846
FAQ
Scarlett: questions and answers
How popular is the name Scarlett in the UK right now?
In 2024, Scarlett was ranked #79 for girls in England and Wales, with 610 births registered.
When was Scarlett most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 2,643 babies registered as Scarlett in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Scarlett?
A feminine name of uncertain origin, perhaps from scarlet, the vivid red color.
How many people are called Scarlett in the UK?
A total of 34,261 babies have been registered as Scarlett across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 1,094 more in Scotland and 842 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Scarlett most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Scarlett ranks best in North East, where it placed #1 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.