NameCensus.

UK name, mostly boys

Shayan

A Persian name meaning "noble" or "superior".

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.

Shayan is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Shayan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #737, with 47 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 80 births.

This profile covers 1,291 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 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 59% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,293 living people in the UK are called Shayan. 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

  • Shayan ranked #737 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 47 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2010, when 80 boys were registered as Shayan.
  • Shayan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #701 in 2019.
  • About 1,293 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shayan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 98.5% of Shayan registrations are for boys.

Latest rank (E&W)

#737

2024

Births in 2024

47

Latest year

Peak year

2010

80 births

Estimated living

1,293

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Shayan

In England and Wales birth records, Shayan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 98.5% of registrations are for boys and 1.5% 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.

98% boys
Boys1,291 (98.5%)Girls20 (1.5%)

Shayan registered for boys

  • Ranked #737 in 2024
  • 47 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2010 (80 births)

Shayan registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,742 in 2013
  • 3 girls registered in 2013
  • Peak: 2000 (4 births)

Meaning

What does Shayan mean?

The name Shayan has its origins in the Persian language and culture. It is derived from the Persian word "shayān," which means "worthy" or "deserving." The name can be traced back to ancient Persia, which was located in the region now known as Iran.

In Persian literature and poetry, the name Shayan has been used to refer to someone who is noble, virtuous, and deserving of respect. It has been associated with qualities such as courage, strength, and honor.

One of the earliest known references to the name Shayan can be found in the Shahnameh, an epic poem written by the legendary Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The poem includes a character named Shayan, who is depicted as a brave and valiant warrior.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shayan. One of the most famous was Shayan Ibn Khalid (c. 680-724), a Persian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of algebra and trigonometry.

Another prominent figure was Shayan al-Nahwi (d. 934), an influential Persian grammarian who wrote extensively on the rules and structure of the Arabic language. His works were widely studied and used as textbooks in madrasas (Islamic schools) across the region.

In the modern era, one of the most well-known individuals with the name Shayan was Shayan Munshi (1886-1968), an Indian poet, writer, and scholar who was renowned for his contributions to Urdu literature. He was a prolific writer and published numerous works, including collections of poetry and literary criticism.

Another notable individual was Shayan Haghighi (1944-2014), an Iranian painter and sculptor who was celebrated for his abstract and surrealist works. His art was widely exhibited both in Iran and internationally, and he is considered one of the most influential modern artists in Iranian history.

Finally, Shayan Acharya (1939-2022) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who was instrumental in popularizing and preserving the traditional Odissi dance form. He was recognized for his contributions with numerous awards and honors, including the prestigious Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Shayan over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Shayan 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 Shayan, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 47 births in 2024, compared with 80 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
021426384199620102024

Decades

Shayan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shayan 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 #677 262 5
2010s #578 640 10
2000s #767 357 10
1990s #1707 32 4

Geography

Where Shayan is most common

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

Shayan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #701 in 2019.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Shayan in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#701 in 2019

3 years of NRS records, 10 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Shayan

  • Shayan Italia

    musician; singer-songwriter

    British pop singer

Related

Names similar to Shayan

FAQ

Shayan: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Shayan was ranked #737 for boys in England and Wales, with 47 births registered.

When was Shayan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2010, with 80 babies registered as Shayan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Shayan?

A Persian name meaning "noble" or "superior".

How many people are called Shayan in the UK?

A total of 1,291 babies have been registered as Shayan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 10 more in Scotland.

Where is Shayan most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Shayan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #701 in 2019. 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.