UK name, mostly girls
Simran
A feminine name of Indian origin meaning "remembrance" or "memory".
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.
Simran is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Simran popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1262, with 26 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2001, with 257 births.
This profile covers 3,935 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 10% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 3,964 living people in the UK are called Simran. 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
- • Simran ranked #1262 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 26 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2001, when 257 girls were registered as Simran.
- • Simran ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #806 in 2015.
- • About 3,964 living people in the UK are estimated to have Simran as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 96.9% of Simran registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1262
2024
Births in 2024
26
Latest year
Peak year
2001
257 births
Estimated living
3,964
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Simran
In England and Wales birth records, Simran has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 3.1% of registrations are for boys and 96.9% 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.
Simran registered for boys
- Ranked #4,023 in 2016
- 4 boys registered in 2016
- Peak: 1996 (26 births)
Simran registered for girls
- Ranked #1,262 in 2024
- 26 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2001 (257 births)
Meaning
What does Simran mean?
The name Simran is of Indian origin, derived from the Sanskrit language. It is a combination of two words: "smarana" meaning "remembrance" or "recollection," and "ram" referring to the Hindu deity Rama. The name gained popularity during the medieval period, particularly among adherents of the Sikh faith.
Simran holds significant spiritual connotations in Sikhism, where it represents the practice of meditating on the divine name. This meditative repetition of sacred words or phrases is believed to promote spiritual growth and a deeper connection with the divine. The name has been associated with several prominent figures in Sikh history and literature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Simran can be found in the writings of the Sikh Gurus, particularly in the sacred scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. The name was borne by Bhai Simran, a devoted follower of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru (1563-1606). Bhai Simran is celebrated for his unwavering faith and his role in the construction of the historic Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar.
In the 17th century, Simran was the name of a female poet and mystic from the Rajput community of Rajasthan. Her devotional verses, known as "Simran Bani," are still recited and studied within the Sikh tradition. Another notable figure with the name Simran was Bhai Simran Singh (1756-1808), a warrior and military commander who played a crucial role in defending the Sikh community during the turbulent times of the late 18th century.
In more recent history, the name Simran gained wider recognition with the famous Indian actress Simran (born Renuka Shahane, 1976), who starred in numerous popular Bollywood films throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Additionally, Simran Kaur Mundi (born 1985) is a prominent British Indian sportswoman who has represented England in international cricket tournaments.
Beyond these notable individuals, the name Simran has been embraced by families across various regions of India, transcending religious and cultural boundaries. Its spiritual undertones and resonance with the practice of mindfulness and devotion have contributed to its enduring popularity.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Simran over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Simran 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 Simran, the clearest high point is 2001. The latest England and Wales figure is 26 births in 2024, compared with 257 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Simran by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Simran 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 | #1154 | 144 | 5 |
| 2010s | #533 | 883 | 10 |
| 2000s | #240 | 1,965 | 10 |
| 1990s | #185 | 943 | 4 |
Geography
Where Simran is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Simran. 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.
Simran ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #806 in 2015.
Across the UK
Simran in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#806 in 2015
13 years of NRS records, 53 total registered
Related
Names similar to Simran
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- 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
FAQ
Simran: questions and answers
How popular is the name Simran in the UK right now?
In 2024, Simran was ranked #1262 for girls in England and Wales, with 26 births registered.
When was Simran most popular?
The peak year on record was 2001, with 257 babies registered as Simran in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Simran?
A feminine name of Indian origin meaning "remembrance" or "memory".
How many people are called Simran in the UK?
A total of 3,935 babies have been registered as Simran across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 53 more in Scotland.
Where is Simran most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Simran ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #806 in 2015. 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.