NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Wan

A name of Chinese origin meaning "scholarly" or "accomplished".

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.

Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 42 boys.

Wan is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Wan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2012, with 8 births.

This profile covers 89 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 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 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 89 living people in the UK are called Wan. 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

  • Wan ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2012, when 8 girls were registered as Wan.
  • Wan is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 89 living people in the UK are estimated to have Wan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 67.9% of Wan registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#5891

2024

Births in 2024

3

Latest year

Peak year

2012

8 births

Estimated living

89

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Wan

In England and Wales birth records, Wan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 32.1% of registrations are for boys and 67.9% 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.

32% boys
68% girls
Boys42 (32.1%)Girls89 (67.9%)

Wan registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,991 in 2023
  • 3 boys registered in 2023
  • Peak: 2003 (7 births)

Wan registered for girls

  • Ranked #5,891 in 2024
  • 3 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2012 (8 births)

Meaning

What does Wan mean?

The name Wan has its origins in Chinese culture, where it is pronounced as "Wàn" in Mandarin Chinese. It is a unisex name that can be used for both males and females. The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to ancient Chinese texts and literature.

One of the earliest known references to the name Wan is found in the Classic of Poetry (Shijing), which is a collection of ancient Chinese poems and songs dating back to the 11th century BC. In this text, the name Wan is mentioned in several poems, often used as a poetic term for a beautiful or virtuous woman.

The name Wan is believed to have derived from the Chinese character "萬" or "万," which means "ten thousand" or "myriad." This character is associated with concepts of abundance, prosperity, and completeness in Chinese culture. As a result, the name Wan may have been given to children with the hope that they would live a life of abundance and prosperity.

In Chinese history, there are several notable figures who bore the name Wan. One of the earliest recorded is Wan Anshi (1021–1086), a famous Chinese scholar, statesman, and reformer during the Song Dynasty. He is renowned for his efforts to implement sweeping economic and political reforms, known as the New Policies.

Another prominent figure with the name Wan is Wan Li (1499–1568), who was the 14th emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He ruled from 1573 to 1620 and is known for his efforts to consolidate imperial power and suppress corruption within the government.

In more recent times, Wan Guoquan (1892–1936) was a Chinese communist revolutionary and one of the founding members of the Communist Party of China. He played a significant role in the early stages of the Chinese communist movement and was executed by the Kuomintang government in 1936.

Wan Qing (born 1988) is a contemporary Chinese actress and singer who has gained widespread popularity for her roles in various television dramas and films.

Wan Bissaka (born 1997) is a professional football player from England who currently plays as a defender for Manchester United and the England national team.

While the name Wan has its roots in Chinese culture, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in Southeast Asia and among Chinese diaspora communities. However, its historical significance and cultural associations remain closely tied to its Chinese origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Wan over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Wan 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 Wan, the clearest high point is 2012. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
036811199620102024

Decades

Wan by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Wan 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 #5720 9 3
2010s #4815 34 8
2000s #3877 32 7
1990s #3559 14 4

Related

Names similar to Wan

FAQ

Wan: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Wan was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Wan most popular?

The peak year on record was 2012, with 8 babies registered as Wan in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Wan?

A name of Chinese origin meaning "scholarly" or "accomplished".

How many people are called Wan in the UK?

A total of 89 babies have been registered as Wan across the 22 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.