Given name & surname
Milan
“from the city in Italy; one who is gracious”·“an eager and hardworking man”
Milan is used as a given name, a surname, and a nickname. Interpretations include “from the city in Italy; one who is gracious” (Latin) and “an eager and hardworking man” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “from the city in Italy; one who is gracious” (Latin) and “an eager and hardworking man” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Latin.
How it developed
In Czech use, Milan is used as a masculine counterpart of Milena.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1885. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Milan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 28,165
- 18,608 boys · 9,557 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 1,977 babies
- 2025
- 1,780
- #242 for boys · #753 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +59%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 70% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,418 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 242 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 89.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 362 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (267). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 17,228 as a first name in 2020; 5,854 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Milan’s family of names
In Czech usage, Milan has a diminutive in Milánek. Milan is a masculine form of Milena. Milan has a related form in Mylan.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Milan has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its Latin roots to each of them.
10 related names in 9 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Milan
- Milan KunderaFranco-Czechoslovak poet and novelist (1929—2023)
- Milan BarošCzech association football player (born 1981)
- Milan KučanFirst President of Slovenia (1991–2002)born 1941
- Milan BadeljCroatian association football playerborn 1989
- Milan ŠkriniarSlovak association football playerborn 1995
- Milan Rastislav ŠtefánikSlovak politician, diplomat, French Army general and astronomer (1880-1919)
- Milan JovanovićSerbian association football playerborn 1981
- Milan I of Serbiaking of Serbia1854–1901
- Milan Milutinović2nd President of Serbia (1942–2023)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Milan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Mills
“one who lives near the mill”
75% boys · 25% girls
Isa
“my God is bountiful” · “God is salvation”
62% boys · 38% girls
Mecca
Mecca is a unisex given name.
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Ellis
“Jehovah is my God” · “noble”
73% boys · 27% girls
Baylor
Baylor is a masculine given name.
69% boys · 31% girls
Remington
“from the town of the raven's family”
65% boys · 35% girls
Lennox
“one who owns many elm trees”
71% boys · 29% girls
Finley
“a fair-haired hero”
46% boys · 54% girls