unisex name · in the US
Milan
mee-LAHN
- Origin Slavic
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 52,559
the United States
#242
2025 births
Milan is a unisex name of Slavic origin meaning "gracious" or "dear," from the element mil. It ranks ninety-ninth in France and 242nd in the United States, and it is only coincidentally the name of the Italian city.
- Milan is a name of Slavic origin.
- Peaked in 2023, when 1,977 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,863 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1885.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Milan Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 6 |
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 24 |
| 1910s | 479 |
| 1920s | 881 |
| 1930s | 617 |
| 1940s | 529 |
| 1950s | 537 |
| 1960s | 440 |
| 1970s | 463 |
| 1980s | 592 |
| 1990s | 1,558 |
| 2000s | 3,190 |
| 2010s | 9,209 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 9,635 |
What Milan Means
Milan means gracious, dear or beloved, from the Slavic mil, meaning kind or dear. It is one of a large family of Slavic names built on that element, alongside Miloš, Miroslav and Ludmila.
Where Milan Comes From
Milan comes from the Slavic mil, dear or gracious, and is among the most common men's names in Serbia, Czechia and Slovakia. Its resemblance to the Italian city is coincidental: Milano descends from the Latin Mediolanum, generally read as the middle of the plain, and has no connection to the Slavic element. The name's international spread is recent and owes something to its use for both sexes in France and to a broader taste for short place-sounding names. It is recorded as unisex, which reflects French and American usage rather than Slavic, where it is firmly masculine.
Milan in Use
Milan ranks ninety-ninth in France with about 640 births in 2025, 242nd in the United States and 203rd in Ireland, It travels considerably better than most French names at this level. Its recorded peak is 2023. It is on record from 1885 and records it as unisex, which is a French and American development rather than a Slavic one.
How Popular Is Milan?
In 2025, Milan was given to 1,780 babies in the United States, ranking #242 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Milan Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Milan Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Milàn | Milàn is Milan written with a grave accent, used in France, where it ranks #1,009. | 1,140 |
| Milän | Milän is a rare spelling of Milan, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
| Mîlan | Mîlan is a rare spelling of Milan, written with a circumflex and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Milan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Milan Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Milan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Milan is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 30% girls · 13,835 babies
- France Boys' 0% girls · 7,930 babies
- Canada Boys' 4% girls · 3,316 babies
- England & Wales Both 21% girls · 2,191 babies
- Ireland Boys' 9% girls · 133 babies
- Scotland Both 14% girls · 77 babies
How to Say Milan
- Pronunciation mee-LAHN /mi.lɑ̃/
Milan in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Milan
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Milan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Milan
What does the name Milan mean?
Milan means "gracious" or "dear," from the Slavic element mil.
Is Milan named after the Italian city?
No. The city descends from the Latin Mediolanum; the resemblance is coincidental.
Is Milan a boy's or a girl's name?
Firmly masculine in Slavic languages. Our French and American data records it as unisex.
How popular is Milan?
Ninety-ninth in France, 242nd in the United States and 203rd in Ireland.
How many syllables are in Milan?
Milan has 2 syllables.
Is Milan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Milan currently ranks #94 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.