UK girl's name
Velvet
A soft, smooth fabric with a thick, dense pile.
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.
Velvet is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Velvet popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 7 births.
This profile covers 81 England and Wales registrations across 20 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. 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 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 81 living people in the UK are called Velvet. 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
- • Velvet ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 7 girls were registered as Velvet.
- • About 81 living people in the UK are estimated to have Velvet as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4843
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2005
7 births
Estimated living
81
2026
Meaning
What does Velvet mean?
The name Velvet is a relatively modern given name that emerged in the English-speaking world during the 20th century. It is derived from the luxurious fabric of the same name, which itself traces its origins to the Italian word "velluto," meaning "shaggy cloth."
While there are no known historical references to Velvet as a given name in ancient texts or religious scriptures, the fabric velvet has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. It was first manufactured in the Italian cities of Venice and Genoa, and later became a highly sought-after luxury item among European nobility.
The earliest recorded use of Velvet as a first name can be found in the late 19th century, although it was still relatively uncommon at the time. One of the earliest known individuals with the name was Velvet Hayter, an American author born in 1952.
Throughout the 20th century, the name Velvet gained popularity, particularly in the United States. Notable individuals with the first name Velvet include:
1. Velvet Revolver, an American rock supergroup formed in 2002, named after the famous velvet underground movement in the 1960s. 2. Velvet Jones, an American actress born in 1953, best known for her role in the cult classic film "Russ Meyer's Mondo Topless." 3. Velvet Milkman, an American singer-songwriter and musician born in 1957, known for her folk-rock style. 4. Velvet McIntyre, an American actress and model born in 1984, who has appeared in several television shows and films. 5. Velvet Moniker, an American musician and performance artist born in the late 20th century, known for her experimental electronic music and avant-garde performances.
While the name Velvet has gained some popularity in recent decades, it remains a relatively uncommon given name, often chosen for its unique and evocative qualities, conjuring images of luxury, softness, and artistic expression.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Velvet over time
The chart below shows babies named Velvet registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1997 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 Velvet, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Velvet by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Velvet 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 | #5256 | 7 | 2 |
| 2010s | #5359 | 24 | 7 |
| 2000s | #4122 | 33 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2519 | 17 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Velvet
- Victoria 19,582
- Violet 14,594
- Vanessa 3,696
- Verity 3,437
- Valentina 2,969
- Vienna 2,077
- Vivienne 1,692
- Veronica 1,425
- Valerie 733
- Viktoria 696
- Vera 667
- Vivian 619
FAQ
Velvet: questions and answers
How popular is the name Velvet in the UK right now?
In 2024, Velvet was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Velvet most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 7 babies registered as Velvet in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Velvet?
A soft, smooth fabric with a thick, dense pile.
How many people are called Velvet in the UK?
A total of 81 babies have been registered as Velvet across the 20 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.