UK boy's name
Taliesin
A Welsh masculine name derived from the words "tal" (brow) and "iesin" (radiant).
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.
Taliesin is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Taliesin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2088, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 17 births.
This profile covers 323 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 65% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 325 living people in the UK are called Taliesin. 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
- • Taliesin ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 17 boys were registered as Taliesin.
- • Taliesin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #614 in 2023.
- • About 325 living people in the UK are estimated to have Taliesin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2088
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2018
17 births
Estimated living
325
2026
Meaning
What does Taliesin mean?
The name Taliesin originates from the Welsh language and Welsh mythology. It is believed to have derived from the Welsh words "tal" meaning "brow" or "front," and "iesin" meaning "handsome" or "fair." The name can be interpreted to mean "fair brow" or "fair front."
The name is most closely associated with the legendary Welsh bard and mythological figure, Taliesin, who is believed to have lived in the 6th century AD. He is renowned as one of the earliest poets of the Welsh language and is considered a chief of bards. Taliesin's life and works are recorded in the Book of Taliesin, which is part of the medieval Welsh manuscript collection known as the Red Book of Hergest.
The earliest recorded use of the name Taliesin can be traced back to the 6th century AD, with the legendary bard himself. However, it is important to note that the historical accuracy of Taliesin's existence and the details surrounding his life are subject to scholarly debate.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Taliesin. One of the most famous was Taliesin Williams (1787-1847), a Welsh poet and literary critic who played a significant role in the Welsh literary renaissance of the 19th century. Another notable figure was Taliesin ab Iwerydd (fl. c. 550), a Welsh poet and historical figure who is mentioned in the Book of Taliesin.
In the realm of arts and culture, Taliesin was the name given to the personal residence and studio of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Wright chose the name in honor of the legendary Welsh bard, reflecting his admiration for the figure's creativity and connection to nature.
Other notable individuals named Taliesin include Taliesin Jaffe (born 1974), an American voice actor and writer, and Taliesin Thomas (1949-1977), a Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Overall, the name Taliesin holds a rich cultural and historical significance, deeply rooted in Welsh mythology and literature, and has been borne by numerous influential figures across various fields throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Taliesin over time
The chart below shows babies named Taliesin 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 Taliesin, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taliesin by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Taliesin 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 | #1952 | 58 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1886 | 123 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1566 | 112 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1592 | 30 | 4 |
Geography
Where Taliesin is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Taliesin. 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.
Taliesin ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #614 in 2023.
Across the UK
Taliesin in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#614 in 2023
1 years of NRS records, 4 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Taliesin
-
Taliesin Rees
local historian
local historian
1883-1963
Related
Names similar to Taliesin
- Thomas 160,894
- Tyler 42,147
- Theo 40,594
- Toby 32,482
- Theodore 30,211
- Tommy 25,300
- Teddy 20,781
- Taylor 14,354
- Tobias 13,102
- Tom 9,822
- Tristan 9,171
- Timothy 6,200
FAQ
Taliesin: questions and answers
How popular is the name Taliesin in the UK right now?
In 2024, Taliesin was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Taliesin most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 17 babies registered as Taliesin in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Taliesin?
A Welsh masculine name derived from the words "tal" (brow) and "iesin" (radiant).
How many people are called Taliesin in the UK?
A total of 323 babies have been registered as Taliesin across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 4 more in Scotland.
Where is Taliesin most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Taliesin ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #614 in 2023. 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.