UK boy's name
Archie
A diminutive form of the German name "Archibald", meaning bold or brave.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Archie is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Archie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #10, with 2,575 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 3,265 births.
This profile covers 59,965 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 79% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 64,734 living people in the UK are called Archie. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Archie ranked #10 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 2,575 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 3,265 boys were registered as Archie.
- • Archie ranks best in Yorkshire and The Humber in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #5 in 2024.
- • About 64,734 living people in the UK are estimated to have Archie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#10
2024
Births in 2024
2,575
Latest year
Peak year
2013
3,265 births
Estimated living
64,734
2026
Meaning
What does Archie mean?
The name Archie is a diminutive form of the name Archibald, which has its roots in the Germanic languages. It is derived from the Old High German name "Arehabald," which is a combination of the elements "ari" meaning "brave" and "bald" meaning "bold." The name was introduced into Britain by Norman settlers after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Archibald the Grim, Earl of Douglas (c. 1328-1400), a Scottish nobleman who played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence against the English. Another notable figure was Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll (1629-1685), a Scottish Protestant leader who was executed for his involvement in the Monmouth Rebellion against King James VII of Scotland and II of England.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained popularity, particularly in Scotland. One prominent bearer was Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (c. 1489-1557), a Scottish nobleman and military leader who played a significant role in the Anglo-Scottish wars of the 16th century.
In the literary realm, the name is associated with Archibald Constable (1776-1827), a Scottish publisher who played a crucial role in the literary career of Sir Walter Scott. Another notable figure was Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929), a British statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1894 to 1895.
In the 20th century, the name gained popularity as a diminutive form, particularly in the United States. One famous bearer was Archibald "Archie" Leach (1904-1986), better known by his stage name Cary Grant, the iconic Hollywood actor. Another notable figure was Archibald "Archie" Gemmill (1947-), a Scottish footballer who played for Derby County and the Scottish national team.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Archie over time
The chart below shows babies named Archie registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Archie, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 2,575 births in 2024, compared with 3,265 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Archie by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Archie was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #10 | 13,531 | 5 |
| 2010s | #19 | 28,923 | 10 |
| 2000s | #45 | 16,262 | 10 |
| 1990s | #140 | 1,249 | 4 |
Geography
Where Archie is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Archie. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Archie ranks best in Yorkshire and The Humber in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #5 in 2024.
Across the UK
Archie in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#10 in 2024
43 years of NRS records, 4,197 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#20 in 2024
23 years of NISRA records, 989 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Archie
-
Archie Yates
actor; film actor
British actor
2009-
-
Archie White
rugby union player
English rugby union player
1997-
-
Archie Stephens
association football player
English footballer (born 1954)
1954-
-
Archie Styles
association football player
English footballer (born 1949)
1949-
-
Archie Styles
association football player
association football player (1939-2018)
1939-2018
-
Archie Taylor
association football player
English footballer (born 1939)
1939-
-
Archie Semple
clarinetist; jazz musician
British musician (1928–1974)
1928-1974
-
Archie Williams
association football player
Scottish footballer (1927-1985)
1927-1985
Related
Names similar to Archie
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
- Aiden 15,654
FAQ
Archie: questions and answers
How popular is the name Archie in the UK right now?
In 2024, Archie was ranked #10 for boys in England and Wales, with 2,575 births registered.
When was Archie most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 3,265 babies registered as Archie in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Archie?
A diminutive form of the German name "Archibald", meaning bold or brave.
How many people are called Archie in the UK?
A total of 59,965 babies have been registered as Archie across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 4,197 more in Scotland and 989 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Archie most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Archie ranks best in Yorkshire and The Humber, where it placed #5 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.