Fun Facts About the Name Balian
- 351 babies named Balian: U.S. records list 351 babies given the name Balian from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Balian Mean?
Balian is an Old French personal name whose meaning is uncertain. It is recorded in the medieval Kingdom of Jerusalem as Old French Balian and Latin Balianus. No secure derivation from an Old French word or earlier name has been established, and the similar-looking Baldwin is a separate Germanic name rather than a source for Balian.
Balian Name History & Origins
The best-known medieval bearer is Balian of Ibelin (c. 1143 - 1193), a nobleman of the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. He was a younger son of Barisan of Ibelin and Helvis of Ramla, married Maria Komnene, the widow of King Amalric, and became a leading baron. In 1187 he helped defend Jerusalem against Saladin and negotiated the city's surrender.
The name was used again in the Ibelin family; a later Balian of Ibelin was lord of Beirut in the 13th century. In modern English-language popular culture, Balian is known as the protagonist of Ridley Scott's film Kingdom of Heaven (2005), a fictionalized portrayal of the medieval nobleman. The film is a modern use of the name, not evidence of its origin.
How Popular is the Name Balian?
Balian has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2010. Its best rank was #3,184 in 2010.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,493 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #5,917 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #7,337 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #9,070 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #10,938 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #7,575 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #5,584 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2018 | #7,680 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #6,366 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2016 | #6,399 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #3,788 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2014 | #5,086 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #4,817 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #3,538 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2011 | #5,455 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #3,184 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2009 | #4,594 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2008 | #4,919 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 2007 | #3,909 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2006 | #4,009 | 24 | 0.0012% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Balian Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Balian's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Balian's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.