Milan Unisex

Popularity: #233 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: mee-LAN /miˈlæn/

Origin: Slavic; Italian

Meaning: Slavic: 'gracious' or 'dear'; Italian: 'from Milan'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Milan has its roots in Slavic languages, deriving from the Old Slavic element "mil" meaning "gracious" or "dear." This etymology suggests a sense of affection or kindness, which has contributed to its appeal across various cultures. The name was adopted into various forms in different languages, including the Italian city name Milan, which is derived from the Latin "Mediolanum," meaning "in the middle of the plain." The transition into English occurred through the influence of Italian and Slavic cultures, particularly during the Renaissance when interest in classical and regional names flourished.

Historically, Milan has been associated with several notable figures and events. In the medieval period, Milan was a significant city-state in Italy, known for its political and cultural influence.

The name gained prominence through figures such as Saint Milan, a 4th-century bishop of the city, who is venerated in both the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. His legacy contributed to the name's religious significance, particularly in Christian contexts.

Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts and documents, reflecting its usage in different regions and eras. Culturally, Milan embodies themes of grace and nobility, resonating with the qualities attributed to its Slavic roots.

The name has been embraced in various forms across Europe, often associated with strength and leadership, likely due to its historical connections to influential cities and figures. The diminutive form "Milo" has also emerged in some cultures, further enriching the name's legacy.

Overall, Milan's historical and cultural significance has allowed it to endure through centuries, reflecting a blend of linguistic heritage and societal values.

Famous people named Milan

In this section, you will find notable people named Milan. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Milan who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Milan who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Milan Kundera is a novelist best known for The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, and The Joke.

Milan Jovanović is a professional footballer best known for playing as a forward for various clubs in Europe.

Milan Baroš is a former professional footballer best known for his time with the Czech national team and clubs like Lyon and Aston Villa.

Milan Gajić is a professional footballer best known for playing as a defender for clubs in Serbia and France.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Milan, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LucaNicoMarcoDanteLeoRocco

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Milan. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MiloMilanusMilošMicaMilanekMilanioMilanor

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Milan was first seen in the United States in 1885.

Milan has ranked as high as #337 nationally, which occurred in 2023, and has been most popular in California, Florida, New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Milan has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Milan is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Milan was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Milan.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,780 1,418 362
2024 1,957 1,554 403
2023 1,977 1,524 453
2022 1,486 1,038 448
2021 1,288 832 456
2020 1,147 690 457
2019 1,061 664 397
2018 1,041 662 379
2017 1,032 651 381
2016 1,066 687 379
2015 1,133 725 408
2014 1,178 753 425
2013 965 486 479
2012 535 153 382
2011 620 149 471
2010 578 143 435
2009 513 153 360
2008 402 163 239
2007 401 143 258
2006 330 118 212
2005 330 118 212
2004 314 122 192
2003 248 109 139
2002 228 98 130
2001 215 108 107
2000 209 116 93
1999 177 87 90
1998 260 118 142
1997 247 119 128
1996 181 91 90
1995 134 77 57
1994 136 82 54
1993 125 69 56
1992 105 61 44
1991 91 58 33
1990 102 69 33
1989 103 67 36
1988 78 51 27
1987 50 31 19
1986 69 46 23
1985 62 44 18
1984 43 32 11
1983 53 42 11
1982 51 43 8
1981 35 35 0
1980 48 48 0
1979 66 66 0
1978 61 61 0
1977 38 38 0
1976 36 36 0
1975 39 39 0
1974 46 46 0
1973 39 32 7
1972 59 54 5
1971 39 39 0
1970 40 40 0
1969 62 54 8
1968 36 36 0
1967 45 45 0
1966 37 37 0
1965 48 48 0
1964 48 48 0
1963 41 41 0
1962 34 34 0
1961 43 43 0
1960 46 46 0
1959 47 47 0
1958 60 60 0
1957 44 44 0
1956 56 56 0
1955 59 59 0
1954 52 52 0
1953 52 52 0
1952 56 56 0
1951 51 51 0
1950 60 60 0
1949 54 54 0
1948 56 56 0
1947 51 51 0
1946 44 44 0
1945 52 52 0
1944 39 39 0
1943 53 53 0
1942 71 71 0
1941 58 58 0
1940 51 51 0
1939 52 52 0
1938 61 61 0
1937 63 63 0
1936 72 72 0
1935 41 41 0
1934 55 55 0
1933 64 64 0
1932 63 63 0
1931 74 74 0
1930 72 72 0
1929 77 77 0
1928 84 84 0
1927 80 80 0
1926 107 107 0
1925 79 79 0
1924 82 82 0
1923 99 99 0
1922 90 90 0
1921 96 96 0
1920 87 87 0
1919 75 75 0
1918 77 77 0
1917 66 66 0
1916 79 79 0
1915 66 66 0
1914 33 33 0
1913 34 34 0
1912 30 30 0
1911 10 10 0
1910 9 9 0
1909 5 5 0
1908 7 7 0
1907 7 7 0
1906 5 5 0
1892 5 5 0
1885 6 6 0

Top States for Milan (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
FL 311
17%
CA 233
12%
TX 233
12%
NY 136
7%
GA 94
5%
IL 80
4%
NJ 74
4%
PA 56
3%
NC 52
3%
MD 48
3%
MI 46
2%
AZ 40
2%
VA 39
2%
TN 38
2%
WA 35
2%
CO 32
2%
MA 31
2%
OH 27
1%
IN 25
1%
AL 21
1%
NV 19
1%
WI 18
1%
SC 18
1%
CT 17
1%
OK 15
1%
OR 15
1%
LA 15
1%
KY 14
1%
UT 14
1%
KS 13
1%
AR 12
1%
MO 11
1%
MN 9
0%
MS 9
0%
ID 9
0%
NE 8
0%
DC 8
0%
IA 7
0%