Milan
Meaning
traditionally "dear, gracious"
Goes by Mile
The story
Milan is one name arriving from two directions at once. The Slavic road is old, traditionally read as dear or gracious, carried to America early: about 480 boys in the 1910s, 880 in the 1920s, the signature of Czech and Slovak families, and never absent since. The other road is the Italian city, fashion capital, football cathedral. The modern rise rides both: about 1,600 in the 1990s, 3,200 in the 2000s, 9,200 in the 2010s, and already 9,600 so far this decade, past the full 2010s. The interesting column is gender: this decade about 7,100 boys and 2,600 girls, roughly one girl in four, a city name loosening what the Slavic classic kept firmly male. In our records the totals run about 18,600 boys and 9,600 girls. Few names let a family honor a Slavic grandfather and a fashion capital in the same breath; this one does both without straining.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Milan peaked in the 2020s.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
327 people · the #17,933 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 500,000 · median age 14
Among people named Milan living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 2010s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 67 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Milan
Most people given the name Milan in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Milan deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Milan truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Milan fits with your family’s names and surname.
Keep exploring
Names like Milan · Nicknames for Milan · Middle names for Milan · Gender-neutral names
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