What are the most popular names for new babies in Britain?

According to the data compiled annually by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the most popular names for children born in England & Wales during 2012 – published this week – were as follows:

Position Boys Girls
1 Harry Amelia
2 Oliver Olivia
3 Jack Jessica
4 Charlie Emily
5 Jacob Lily
6 Thomas Ava
7 Alfie Mia
8 Riley Isla
9 Wiliam Sophie
10 James Isabella
11 Joshua Evie
12 George Ruby
13 Ethan Poppy
14 Noah Grace
15 Samuel Sophia
16 Daniel Chloe
17 Oscar Isabelle
18 Max Ella
19 Muhammad Freya
20 Leo Charlotte

There are some patterns here.

First of all, astonishingly the second most popular boys’ name and the second most popular girls’ name are essentially the same (Oliver and Olivia) – what is technically known as cognates – and these names have been in the top two for their gender for the last four years. Is this the case in any other nation? Second, it is striking how traditional most of the names are for both boys and girls, although for the boys it is interesting that the familiar form of names rather than the original version is often preferred – Harry instead of Harold, Jack instead of John, Charlie instead of Charles, Alfie instead of Alfred. Third, in the case of boys, four of the top 11 names begin with the letter ‘J’ while, in the case of girls, nine of the top 19 names end with the letter ‘a’, seven of the top 16 names end with the sound ‘ee’, and ten of the top 20 names contain the letter ‘l’ (in four cases, twice).

On the other hand, the name David – which is the second most common name in Britain – slipped out of the top 50 of names chosen for baby boys born in 2004 and has stayed out (it is currently 59th). Similarly Margaret – the most common female name in the population as a whole – does not even appear in the top 100 names chosen for girls these days. These observations underline how much fashion shapes the popularity of different names. Fashion is a stronger influence with girls’ names than those of boys. So, for example, in the last 10 years Violet has jumped up 556 places, Bella 677 places, and Ivy 911 places, while Lexi has leapt an incredible 1,613 places. The only spectacular rise in boys’ names is Kayden which has soared by 662 places.

It should be noted that the Office of National Statistics (ONS) produces its ranking of the popularity of names using the exact spelling of the name given at birth registration. If one combines the numbers for names with very similar spellings, a different picture is revealed. For boys, combining the occurrence of Mohammed, Muhammad, Mohammad and Muhammed would put the name in second place – a reflection of the changing ethnicity of the British population. Similarly, if one combines the occurrence of Isabella, Isabelle, Isabel and Isobel, one would find the name top of the girls’ list and, if one took Lily and Lilly together, the name would come second.

You can find the top 100 boys and girls names in 2012 here.

You can find my comprehensive guide to naming practices around the world here.


7 Comments

  • Nadine Wiseman

    I’m always amused that parents think they are choosing a unique name, so their child won’t end up in a class with kids of similar names, and yet they choose one of the top 20! My theory is that names skip a generation. For your baby you don’t choose a name that was common in your own generation. You are more likely to choose one from a previous generation, (and probably one earlier than your parents). But so is everyone else!

    My classes were full of Peters, Johns, Stevens, Fionas, Karens. If my theory is correct, these will be back in about 20 years.

  • Roger Darlington

    You are absolutely right, Nadine. At least in Anglo-Saxon countries, there are massive generational swings in the popularity of names so that one can often guess the rough age of someone just from their first name.

  • Nadine Wiseman

    Hi Roger. Does the ONS have an online register of the popular names going back in time? That would be interesting to see.

    Nadine.

  • Roger Darlington

    Hi, Nadine.

    You will find a very limited time series here.

  • Dan Filson

    Jack is derived from Jacobus, surely, the forebear of James and related to Jacob; rather than to John.

    In London all the Mohammed variations together put that name in first place.

    Interesting to see how many Old Testament Hebraic names figure in the boys’ list – Ethan, Jacob, Samuel, Joshua, Noah, Daniel – but fewer in the girls’ list (Evie, I suppose, from Eve). But fewer New Testament names – Thomas and James.

  • Roger Darlington

    Actually, Dan, the “Oxford Dictionary Of First names” explains that Jack is “originally a pet form of John, but now well established as a given name in its own right”. It is derived from the Middle English Jankin.

  • Dan Filson

    I stand corrected along with all Jacobites. Silly old King James II evidently didn’t realise his supporters were actually longing for the return of King John!

 




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