boy's name
Niven
- Origin Scottish
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 144
Scotland
#872
2024 births
Niven is a boy's name with 2 syllables. In 2014 it was given to 6 babies in the United States. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
- Niven is a name of Scottish origin.
- Peaked in England and Wales in 2019, when 8 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in England and Wales.
- Today about 1 in 131,735 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1999.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Niven over time
Births per decade in England and Wales, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 3 |
| 2000s | 26 |
| 2010s | 21 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 14 |
How popular is Niven?
In 2025, Niven was given to 4 babies in England and Wales. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Niven is used
Figures for England and Wales withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Niven
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Niven also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Niven over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Niven
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Niven — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Niven
How popular is the name Niven?
In 2025, Niven was given to 4 babies in England and Wales. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Niven a girl's or a boy's name?
Niven is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Niven?
Niven has 2 syllables.
When was Niven most popular?
Niven peaked in 2019, when 8 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
Is Niven a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Niven currently ranks #872 in England and Wales. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.