Milan
Milan is a common Slavic male name and less commonly, a Roman name. It is derived from the Slavic element mil, with meanings kind, loving, and gracious. Milan was originally a diminutive or nickname for those whose Slavic names began with "Mil-".
- Czech
- Slovak
- Serbian
- Croatian
Meaning & Origin of Milan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Milan is a common Slavic male name and less commonly, a Roman name. It is derived from the Slavic element mil, with meanings kind, loving, and gracious. Milan was originally a diminutive or nickname for those whose Slavic names began with "Mil-".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Czech
- Slovak
- Serbian
- Croatian
- Slovene
- Macedonian
- Polish
- Dutch
- German
- French
- Hungarian
The Story of Milan
As a girl name
Milan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1969, with 8 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2013: 479 births, good for #593 nationwide. About 41% of every Milan on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Milan ranks #704 for girls with 406 births, holding steady (+2%). All told, over 10K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Milan as a boy name dates back to 1885, when 6 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 1,786 newborns named Milan — #198 in the national rankings. About 44% of every Milan on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Milan ranks #198 for boys with 1,786 births, rising sharply (+116% over the past five years). All told, over 21K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Milan
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Milan. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Milan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Milan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Milan
What does the name Milan mean?
What is the origin of the name Milan?
How popular is Milan in 2026?
When was Milan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Milan most popular?
Is Milan a unisex name?
What names go well with Milan?
What are nicknames or variants of Milan?
About the name Milan
Milan is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1885 and has accumulated 21K births in the dataset. Milan's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #198. Use the chart and map above to compare Milan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.