UK boy's name
Sixten
A Swedish masculine name meaning "sixth son".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sixten is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sixten popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2014 to 2017. 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 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Sixten. 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 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sixten ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 3 boys were registered as Sixten.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sixten as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2014
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Sixten mean?
The name Sixten is a Scandinavian name of Swedish origin, derived from the combination of the Old Norse words "sixt" meaning "sixth" and "ten" meaning "ten." It was initially used as a surname, referring to someone who was the sixth son in a family or the sixth landowner in a village.
In the Middle Ages, the name gained popularity as a given name in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. Some linguists suggest that the name may have been influenced by the Latin name "Sixtus," which was derived from the Roman numeral "sextus," meaning "sixth."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sixten dates back to the 13th century, when a Swedish nobleman named Sixten Johansson was mentioned in a historical document from the Uppland region. However, it was not until the 16th and 17th centuries that the name gained widespread usage among the Swedish population.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sixten. One of the most famous was Sixten Ehrling (1909-2005), a Swedish businessman and industrialist who founded the Sixth AP Fund, a national pension fund in Sweden. Another prominent figure was Sixten Gemzell (1909-2003), a Swedish sculptor and artist known for his monumental public works.
In the realm of literature, Sixten Hebbe (1828-1900) was a Swedish novelist and poet who wrote extensively about rural life in Sweden during the 19th century. Sixten Rahmn (1908-1983) was a Swedish author and journalist who gained recognition for his historical novels and non-fiction works.
Lastly, Sixten Ehrling (1894-1974) was a Swedish military officer and politician who served as the Governor of Stockholm County from 1946 to 1960. He played a significant role in the development of Stockholm during the post-war period.
While the name Sixten is primarily associated with Swedish and Scandinavian cultures, it has also been adopted in other parts of the world, though to a lesser extent. The name's unique blend of numerical and linguistic origins adds to its distinctiveness and historical significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sixten over time
The chart below shows babies named Sixten registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2014 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sixten, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sixten by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sixten 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4722 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Sixten
- 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
Sixten: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sixten in the UK right now?
In 2017, Sixten was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sixten most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 3 babies registered as Sixten in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sixten?
A Swedish masculine name meaning "sixth son".
How many people are called Sixten in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Sixten across the 2 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.