NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Sky

The name of Greek origin meaning the region above the earth's surface.

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.

Sky is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Sky popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1036, with 33 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 275 births.

This profile covers 2,707 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 12% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 2,840 living people in the UK are called Sky. 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

  • Sky ranked #1036 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 33 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2007, when 275 girls were registered as Sky.
  • Sky ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #397 in 2020.
  • About 2,840 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sky as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 94.1% of Sky registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1036

2024

Births in 2024

33

Latest year

Peak year

2007

275 births

Estimated living

2,840

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Sky

In England and Wales birth records, Sky has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 5.9% of registrations are for boys and 94.1% 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.

94% girls
Boys171 (5.9%)Girls2,707 (94.1%)

Sky registered for boys

  • Ranked #2,088 in 2024
  • 11 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (14 births)

Sky registered for girls

  • Ranked #1,036 in 2024
  • 33 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2007 (275 births)

Meaning

What does Sky mean?

The name Sky has its origins in the English language, where it is a relatively modern name that emerged in the 20th century. The name is derived from the word "sky," which refers to the vast expanse of air and atmosphere above the Earth's surface. This name is often seen as a nature-inspired name, reflecting a connection with the outdoors and the beauty of the natural world.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Sky can be found in the 1945 novel "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck. In the book, a character named Sky is mentioned, although it is not a prominent character. However, this literary reference suggests that the name was already in use, at least to some extent, in the early 20th century.

The name Sky gained more popularity in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly in the United States. One of the earliest notable individuals with the name was Sky King, an American actor and singer who starred in the popular television series "Sky King" from 1951 to 1959. The show centered around a pilot and his niece, and helped to popularize the name among viewers.

Another famous bearer of the name was Sky Saxon, an American singer-songwriter and musician best known as the lead singer of the 1960s psychedelic rock band The Seeds. Saxon was born Richard Marsh Hogshaw in 1937 and adopted the stage name Sky Saxon, which aligned with the counterculture movement of the time.

In the world of sports, Sky Mariash was a Canadian figure skater who competed in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. She was born in 1972 and her unique name reflected the growing popularity of nature-inspired names during that era.

Lastly, Sky Ferreira is an American singer, songwriter, model, and actress who rose to prominence in the 2010s. Born in 1992, her unique name has become a recognizable part of her artistic persona in the music and entertainment industry.

These examples showcase the diverse range of individuals who have carried the name Sky throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries, reflecting its increasing popularity and association with elements of nature, creativity, and individuality.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Sky over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Sky 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 Sky, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 33 births in 2024, compared with 275 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
070140209279199620102024

Decades

Sky by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sky 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 #864 211 5
2010s #593 781 10
2000s #319 1,474 10
1990s #481 241 4

Geography

Where Sky is most common

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

Sky ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #397 in 2020.

Scotland
4
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Sky in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#638 in 2024

22 years of NRS records, 143 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#397 in 2020

2 years of NISRA records, 6 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Sky

  • Sky Brown

    surfer; skateboarder

    British-Japanese skateboarder and surfer

    2008-

  • Sky Andrew

    table tennis player

    British table tennis player

    1962-

Related

Names similar to Sky

FAQ

Sky: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Sky was ranked #1036 for girls in England and Wales, with 33 births registered.

When was Sky most popular?

The peak year on record was 2007, with 275 babies registered as Sky in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Sky?

The name of Greek origin meaning the region above the earth's surface.

How many people are called Sky in the UK?

A total of 2,707 babies have been registered as Sky across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 143 more in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Sky most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Sky ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #397 in 2020. 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.