UK girl's name
Tear
A nature name meaning a drop of clear salty liquid from the eye.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2009. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Tear is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Tear popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2009 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5556, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2009 to 2009. 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.
Tear is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Tear. 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 2010 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Tear ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales in 2009, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 3 girls were registered as Tear.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tear as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5556
2009
Births in 2009
3
Latest year
Peak year
2009
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Tear mean?
The given name Tear finds its origins in ancient Celtic cultures, with the earliest recorded use dating back to the 5th century CE. The name is thought to be derived from the Old Irish word "tir," meaning "land" or "territory," reflecting the reverence for the natural world in ancient Celtic belief systems.
One of the earliest known individuals bearing the name Tear was a 6th-century Gaelic chieftain from the region now known as Ireland. Historical records from this period are scarce, but Tear's name is mentioned in several medieval Irish manuscripts, suggesting he was a figure of significance in his time.
In the 9th century, a monk named Tear is recorded as having lived in the monastery of Iona, an important center of Celtic Christianity in Scotland. His legacy includes several religious texts and poems that have survived to this day, providing valuable insights into the spiritual practices and beliefs of the era.
During the Middle Ages, the name Tear gained popularity among Welsh nobility. One notable figure was Tear ap Gruffydd, a 12th-century Welsh prince and military leader who played a pivotal role in the struggles against Norman conquest and the preservation of Welsh independence.
In the 16th century, Tear Everard was a renowned English explorer and navigator who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his famous circumnavigation of the globe. Everard's detailed journals and maps from this voyage contributed significantly to the expansion of geographical knowledge during the Age of Exploration.
Another historical figure of note was Tear O'Malley, an Irish pirate queen who lived in the 16th century. Known for her daring exploits and fearless leadership, O'Malley commanded a fleet of ships and played a significant role in the ongoing conflicts between Irish clans and English forces during the Tudor conquest of Ireland.
While the name Tear has seen a decline in popularity in recent centuries, its rich history and cultural significance in various Celtic traditions continue to be celebrated and remembered.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Tear by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tear 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #5556 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Tear
- Tia 15,569
- Thea 12,888
- Tilly 11,524
- Taylor 7,401
- Tegan 6,583
- Tabitha 6,462
- Talia 5,198
- Tara 5,114
- Tiffany 4,653
- Tallulah 4,442
- Tiana 3,570
- Tamara 3,405
FAQ
Tear: questions and answers
How popular is the name Tear in the UK right now?
In 2009, Tear was ranked #5556 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Tear most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 3 babies registered as Tear in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Tear?
A nature name meaning a drop of clear salty liquid from the eye.
How many people are called Tear in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Tear across the 1 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.