UK boy's name
Serge
Of Greek origin, signifying leader or attendant.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Serge is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Serge popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 6 births.
This profile covers 75 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 1996 to 2022. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 50% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 74 living people in the UK are called Serge. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Serge ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 6 boys were registered as Serge.
- • About 74 living people in the UK are estimated to have Serge as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4789
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
6 births
Estimated living
74
2026
Meaning
What does Serge mean?
The given name Serge has its origins in the Latin language, where it was derived from the name Sergius. Sergius itself is believed to have originated from the Roman family name "Sergius," which was derived from the Latin word "serere," meaning "to plant" or "to sow." This suggests that the name may have been associated with agricultural or farming communities in ancient Rome.
The earliest recorded use of the name Sergius can be traced back to the 3rd century AD, when it was borne by several early Christian saints and martyrs. One notable figure was Saint Sergius, a Roman soldier who was martyred during the reign of Emperor Maximian in the early 4th century. His story and veneration as a saint likely contributed to the popularity of the name among early Christians.
In the Middle Ages, the name Serge became more widespread across Europe, particularly in regions influenced by the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was commonly used in territories such as Russia, Greece, and parts of Eastern Europe. One famous bearer of the name was Sergius of Radonezh (1314-1392), a revered Russian monk and one of the most influential figures in the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The French form of the name, Serge, gained popularity during the Renaissance period. One of the earliest recorded instances of this spelling was Serge I de Longueville (1476-1516), a French nobleman and military commander. Another notable figure was Serge Rabelais (1495-1553), a French Renaissance writer and physician, best known for his satirical novels.
In the 19th century, the name Serge gained further recognition with figures such as Serge Diaghilev (1872-1929), a Russian art critic and impresario who was instrumental in the revival of ballet in the early 20th century. Another famous bearer was Serge Koussevitzky (1874-1951), a Russian-born conductor and double-bassist who made significant contributions to the development of classical music in the United States.
Other notable historical figures with the name Serge include Serge Lifar (1905-1986), a Ukrainian-born French ballet dancer and choreographer, and Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991), a French singer, songwriter, and actor who left a lasting impact on the world of popular music.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Serge over time
The chart below shows babies named Serge registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Serge, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Serge by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Serge 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 | #4390 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3872 | 34 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3256 | 28 | 7 |
| 1990s | #1765 | 6 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Serge
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Serge: questions and answers
How popular is the name Serge in the UK right now?
In 2022, Serge was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Serge most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 6 babies registered as Serge in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Serge?
Of Greek origin, signifying leader or attendant.
How many people are called Serge in the UK?
A total of 75 babies have been registered as Serge across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.