UK girl's name
Starr
A gender-neutral name derived from the celestial object representing an illuminating body in the night sky.
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.
Starr is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Starr popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2411, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 26 births.
This profile covers 373 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 42% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 393 living people in the UK are called Starr. 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
- • Starr ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 26 girls were registered as Starr.
- • Starr ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #583 in 2018.
- • About 393 living people in the UK are estimated to have Starr as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2411
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2009
26 births
Estimated living
393
2026
Meaning
What does Starr mean?
The given name Starr is thought to have originated from the Old English word "steorra," which means "star." This linguistic root can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "sterron" and the Proto-Indo-European word "ster," both of which refer to celestial objects in the night sky.
In ancient times, stars held significant symbolic meaning across various cultures. In Greek mythology, stars were believed to be the souls of heroes and great figures who had ascended to the heavens. The name Starr may have been bestowed upon individuals with a connection to astronomy, navigation, or those who were considered exceptional or remarkable.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Starr can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Sterre," likely referring to a person who studied or had an affinity for the stars.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Starr. One of the most famous was Starr Faithful, an American singer and actress who rose to prominence in the 1920s with her performances on Broadway and in Hollywood films. She was born in 1892 and passed away in 1946.
Another prominent figure was Starr Carter, an English writer and activist who played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement in the early 20th century. Born in 1880, she dedicated her life to advocating for equal rights and was instrumental in securing women's right to vote in the United Kingdom.
In the realm of sports, Starr Hoyt was an American baseball player who played for the New York Yankees in the 1960s. He was born in 1938 and had a successful career as a pitcher, winning numerous accolades and championships.
The name Starr also has a notable presence in the field of science and exploration. Starr Muir, born in 1892, was a Scottish botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the Antarctic region during her expeditions in the early 20th century.
Additionally, Starr Bright, born in 1914, was an American astronomer who played a crucial role in the development of modern astrophysics. Her groundbreaking research on stellar evolution and the composition of stars earned her numerous honors and awards.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Starr over time
The chart below shows babies named Starr registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, 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 Starr, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 26 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Starr by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Starr 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 | #2328 | 56 | 5 |
| 2010s | #2240 | 140 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1659 | 141 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2105 | 36 | 4 |
Geography
Where Starr is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Starr. 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.
Starr ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #583 in 2018.
Across the UK
Starr in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#583 in 2018
5 years of NRS records, 22 total registered
Related
Names similar to Starr
- 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
Starr: questions and answers
How popular is the name Starr in the UK right now?
In 2024, Starr was ranked #2411 for girls in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Starr most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 26 babies registered as Starr in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Starr?
A gender-neutral name derived from the celestial object representing an illuminating body in the night sky.
How many people are called Starr in the UK?
A total of 373 babies have been registered as Starr across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 22 more in Scotland.
Where is Starr most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Starr ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #583 in 2018. 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.