The first name Arran
A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “high place”.
Pronounced /ˈæɹən/ 2 syllables Male
Meaning and origin
Scottish Gaelic origin
Arran means “high place” in Scottish Gaelic.
Derived from Scottish Gaelic Arainn, but the name is ultimately probably of non-Indo-European (substrate) or Pictish origin, along with other uncertain names in Scotland such as Skye, Lewis, and Islay. Possibly from a Brythonic/Pictish term ancestral or cognate to Middle Welsh aran (“"high place"”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 23 boys were named Arran, making it the 1,226th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1997, with 159 births (#207).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Arran with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Arran at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 5 boys born in the United States were named Arran, the 12,184th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2008, when 15 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Arran mean?
- Arran means “high place” in Scottish Gaelic.
- What is the origin of the name Arran?
- Derived from Scottish Gaelic Arainn, but the name is ultimately probably of non-Indo-European (substrate) or Pictish origin, along with other uncertain names in Scotland such as Skye, Lewis, and Islay. Possibly from a Brythonic/Pictish term ancestral or cognate to Middle Welsh aran (“"high place"”).
- How popular is the name Arran?
- In 2025, 23 boys born in England and Wales were named Arran, ranking 1,226th. Its peak was 1997, with 159 births.
- Is Arran a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 284 US babies named Arran since 1880 were boys.
- When was Arran most popular?
- 2008 in the United States, when 15 babies were named Arran, its highest rank at 5,791st.
- How do you pronounce Arran?
- Arran is /ˈæɹən/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Arran?
- Aran.