Ren: meaning and UK use

What does Ren mean?

Japanese 蓮 can give Ren the meaning lotus, while 恋 can give romantic love. Other characters with the same reading exist, so the spelling Ren does not determine a single meaning.

Language or name family covered

Japanese; character-dependent

Meaning or derivation

Lotus or love with particular characters

Our browsing group

unisex; international, modern

Browsing groups describe our editorial shortlist, not rules about who may use a name. A name can cross languages and genders.

Sources for this entry — reviewed 2026-10-07:

• Behind the Name — Ren

Pronunciation and related forms

/ɾe̞ɴ/ (Japanese IPA)

English respellings are approximate; IPA is labelled where used. Follow the pronunciation a person or family chooses, and check it with a speaker of the intended language if that connection matters to you.

No variants or nicknames have been verified for this entry. A family nickname does not need to be an established dictionary form.

How popular is Ren?

In 2025, 93 baby boys in England and Wales were registered as Ren, making it the 427th most popular boys’ name. That is up 73 places on 2024, when it ranked 500th. It is used for both sexes: 14 girls were also given the name (2006th for girls). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it ranked 2020th, so it has climbed 1,593 places in a decade. 2025 is its highest ranking in the ONS series, which starts in 1996. These figures cover England and Wales, not the whole UK.

2025 rank (boys)

427th

2025 registrations

93

Best rank in this series

427th (2025)

Every year from 1996 to 2025

Ren: rank and number of baby boys by year (ONS)

Year	Rank	Babies
2025	427	93
2024	500	78
2023	587	63
2022	746	44
2021	704	49
2020	1051	26
2019	1001	28
2018	835	37
2017	1398	18
2016	1187	23
2015	2020	11
2014	1935	11
2013	2403	8
2012	2117	10
2011	2390	8
2010	2036	10
2009	3227	5
2008	3687	4
2007	2435	7
2006	1892	9
2005	1851	9
2004	3009	4
2003	—	Not published
2002	—	Not published
2001	—	Not published
2000	—	Not published
1999	—	Not published
1998	—	Not published
1997	—	Not published
1996	—	Not published

The sum of published counts in this 1996–2025 boys series is 555. This is a lower bound where years are suppressed, not the number of living people with the name. A best rank is the best position within this series; it does not establish an all-time record.

Sources: ONS release, 2025; girls' dataset; boys' dataset. Our 20 top-ten positions were checked against Table 1 in the 2025 workbooks. The history chart and spelling comparisons come from the separate ONS 1996–2025 workbook, checked 7 October 2026. Spelling variants are separate entries. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate statistics.

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Names to compare with Ren

These suggestions share a browsing group and one or more of our style tags or source-context labels. They are taste comparisons, not etymological relatives or a popularity ranking.

• Quinnmodern, international · From the surname Ó Cuinn
• Remymodern, international · An English form of Rémy
• Riomodern, international · River in Spanish or Portuguese
• Amaniinternational · Wishes
• Blakemodern · From words for black or pale
• Edenmodern · Possibly delight or a plain

Read the UK naming guide for the difference between inspiration lists and official statistics, or return to the full name finder.

Registering or changing the name

Once you decide on Ren, confirm the registration process for your UK nation with the register office. If you later want to change a registered name, the route depends on the circumstances and may require consent from people with parental responsibility.

Start with GOV.UK birth registration or GOV.UK guidance on changing a child’s name. Our registration guide and child name-change guide explain where to find the relevant official process.