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A guide to Polish baby names for 2026 — official rankings, Catholic naming traditions, imieniny (name day) culture, and what to know when personalising a gift for a Polish family in the UK. Written with respect for one of the UK's largest and most tightly-knit communities.

Why Polish Naming Has Its Own Character

Polish families take naming genuinely seriously. Historically, the child's name comes from a Catholic saint whose feast day falls near the birth — often chosen from the Roman Calendar in the three weeks between birth and baptism. Even today, most Polish given names are saint names or classic Slavic names carrying centuries of family and religious history.

Poland has around 840,000 Polish-born residents in the UK (2021/22 UK Census), making Polish the most common non-British nationality here. Polish families are concentrated in Greater London, Southampton, North Northamptonshire (Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough), Birmingham, Leeds, Slough, Coventry, Peterborough, and across Scotland. If you're shopping for a Polish family — friends, in-laws, colleagues, godchildren — this guide covers what actually matters.

Official 2024 Polish Baby Names (Latest Data)

These rankings come from Poland's Ministry of Digital Affairs (Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji), published January 2025 based on 2024 birth registrations. Real government data, not guesswork.

Top Polish Boys' Names 2024

1. Nikodem — 6,388 registrations (“victory of the people”)
2. Antoni — 5,404 registrations (“priceless one,” Polish form of Anthony)
3. Jan — 5,277 registrations (Polish form of John, “God is gracious”)
4. Aleksander — (Polish form of Alexander, “defender of men”)
5. Leon — (“lion”)
6. Franciszek — (Polish form of Francis, “free man”)
7. Filip — (Polish form of Philip, “lover of horses”)
8. Stanisław — (“he who achieves glory,” a Polish national saint)
9. Mikołaj — (Polish form of Nicholas)
10. Wojciech — (“joyful warrior,” a Polish patron saint)

Note on Nikodem's rise: this is a striking shift. Nikodem was uncommon before 2000 and has climbed to #1 in the last decade — a modern favourite with a classical, biblical ring to it.

Top Polish Girls' Names 2024

1. Maja — 4,640 registrations (short, modern, Slavic-friendly)
2. Zofia — 4,470 registrations (Polish form of Sophia, “wisdom”)
3. Zuzanna — 4,144 registrations (Polish form of Susanna, “lily”)
4. Laura — (“laurel, victory”)
5. Hanna — (Polish form of Anna, “grace”)
6. Lena — (short form of Helena, “bright light”)
7. Julia — (“youthful”)
8. Alicja — (Polish form of Alice, “noble”)
9. Emilia — (“striving, rival”)
10. Antonina — (feminine of Antoni, feels traditional and elegant)

Most Popular Middle Names

Polish families almost always give a middle name, often the name of a saint, a grandparent, or a godparent. According to the 2024 Ministry data:

• Boys' middle names: Jan (3,990), Piotr (2,135), Józef (1,913) — classic saintly names
• Girls' middle names: Maria (4,840), Anna (3,233), Zofia (1,798) — deep Catholic tradition

Maria as a middle name is deeply significant — it's a devotional choice honouring the Virgin Mary, and it appears on almost 1 in 10 Polish girls born in 2024.

Uniquely Polish Names Worth Knowing

Beyond the top 10, Polish parents often reach for names that feel distinctly Polish rather than internationally shared. If you're personalising a gift for a Polish family, these carry particular cultural weight:

• Apolonia — classical, elegant, quietly rising
• Marcelina — feminine, softly religious
• Ignacy — strong, saintly, distinctly Polish
• Cezary — Polish form of Caesar
• Kacper — one of the three wise men in Polish tradition
• Szymon — Polish form of Simon
• Oliwia — Polish spelling of Olivia
• Wiktoria — Polish form of Victoria
• Blanka — light, softly modern
• Amelia — often shared with UK usage

Imieniny — The Name Day Tradition

This is genuinely one of the most beautiful Polish traditions and something UK gift-buyers often don't know about.

In Poland, the name day (imieniny) is historically more celebrated than the birthday. Each name is linked to a saint's feast day on the Catholic Calendar, and on that day, the person is congratulated, given cards and small gifts, and often has a small family gathering.

For example:

• People named Jan celebrate on 24 June (St John the Baptist)
• People named Maria celebrate on 15 August (Assumption) or several other Marian feasts
• People named Zofia celebrate on 15 May (St Sophia)
• People named Antoni celebrate on 13 June (St Anthony of Padua)

Why this matters for gift-giving: a Polish person's imieniny is a genuine celebration day. Sending a personalised gift on their name day (not just their birthday) will land with a Polish recipient in a way it wouldn't with a British colleague. A quick online search for “imieniny [name]” gives you the date.

Godparents (Kmotr & Kumoszka) & Baptism Gifts

Godparent culture is central in Polish Catholic families. The godfather (kmotr/kumoter) and godmother (kumoszka) are chosen carefully, and baptism (chrzest) is one of the biggest family events after the birth itself.

Traditional godparent gifts include a personalised keepsake with the child's name, baptism date, and often the godparents' names alongside. This is exactly the kind of gift a personalised slate, wooden sign, or crystal photo block does well.

Polish Diacritics: The Detail That Matters

This is where personalised gifts for Polish families often go wrong. Polish uses several diacritical marks — letters with accents or tails — and getting them right is important. It's the difference between a proper Polish gift and one that looks like the sender couldn't be bothered.

Key Polish letters to include correctly:

• ą (a with tail) — e.g. Mądrala
• ę (e with tail) — e.g. Wojciech Małęcki
• ó (o with accent) — e.g. Krzysztof Król
• ś (s with accent) — e.g. Jaś
• ł (crossed L) — the most commonly missed one — e.g. Stanisław, Mikołaj, Małgorzata
• ń (n with accent) — e.g. Bańczyk
• ż and ź (z with dot or accent)
• ć (c with accent) — e.g. Kryś, Mać

Always ask the Polish family for the exact spelling with diacritics. If you can't type them, ask them to email or text the name so you can copy-paste it directly. Every personalised order we take with Polish diacritics is checked twice.

Polish Surname Endings (Quick Reference)

Polish surnames often change ending based on gender — this catches out gift-buyers writing family names on wooden signs:

• Male -ski → Female -ska (e.g. Kowalski / Kowalska)
• Male -cki → Female -cka
• Male -dzki → Female -dzka

For a family sign showing everyone (e.g. “The Kowalski Family”), the masculine form is used as the family name. But if you're personalising a gift for a woman specifically, use the feminine form.

Gift Ideas for Polish Families in the UK

For a Newborn or Baptism

• A personalised slate with the baby's name, birth date, and baptism date — a classic Polish baptism gift
• A crystal photo block with the baby's baptism photo and godparents' names
• A wooden nursery sign with the full name including middle name

For an Imieniny (Name Day)

• A personalised mug with just the first name and the saint's day date
• A keyring with the name and imieniny date
• A coaster set for the whole family, one for each person

For a Polish Wedding (Wesele)

• Personalised wooden welcome signs for the wedding
• A crystal photo block with the couple's names and wedding date
• Engraved bottle openers as groomsmen gifts (a favourite at Polish weddings, where good vodka is served properly)

For a Polish Christmas (Wigilia)

Wigilia is the Christmas Eve dinner — the biggest family meal of the Polish year. Personalised gifts for Wigilia are increasingly popular in UK Polish families:

• Personalised family mugs for the Wigilia table
• Wooden gift tags with each family member's name
• A family slate keepsake with the family name and Wigilia date

Personalising a Baby Gift for a Polish Family: Practical Tips

1. Ask for the spelling in writing, with diacritics. Every letter counts.
2. Include the middle name if there's space — Polish middle names are important and honoured.
3. For gifts to grown-ups, ask about their imieniny date and consider marking it on the gift instead of (or as well as) their birthday.
4. Godparents' names on a baptism keepsake is genuinely thoughtful.
5. Family names on wooden signs use the masculine form (Kowalski, not Kowalscy).
6. Polish grandparents love personalised gifts with the grandchildren's names — a fridge magnet or a coaster set for their house is a warm, small gift that gets used every day.

Perfect Gifts for a Polish Family

• Personalised baby shower gifts
• Slate keepsakes — ideal for baptisms and family occasions
• Crystal photo blocks — for baptism photos and wedding photos
• Wooden family signs — with the surname (masculine form)
• Personalised mugs — ideal for name day gifts
• Fridge magnets — small warm gifts for extended family

Related Reading

• Popular baby names 2026 by culture (full guide)
• Popular Pakistani baby names 2026 (UK guide)
• Baby's first three years milestones

Ordering a gift for a Polish family and unsure about a spelling or diacritics? Email us at info@giftsvolt.co.uk and we'll send a proof before we print. All gifts are made-to-order in our UK workshop with 1–3 day dispatch via Royal Mail Tracked 24 or Tracked 48.

Sources: Poland's Ministry of Digital Affairs (Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji), January 2025 release of 2024 birth registrations; UK Census 2021/22 Polish population data; Nameberry Poland 2024 rankings; TVP World Polish baby name coverage. Meanings and spellings should always be confirmed with the family before personalisation.