As we enter a new year, many parents-to-be will be eagerly putting together lists of potential baby names, with plenty of modern or classic options to choose from.
However, it seems that several classic and once-popular names will not appeal to most expectant parents this year.
The latest list of the top 100 baby names for boys and girls has been revealed by baby centerand while some names made an impressive rise up the list in 2024, others fell.
There was no change in the girls’ and boys’ number one spots this year, as long-time favorites Olivia and Muhammed continue to dominate.
In the girls’ top 100, nearly half of the girls’ names on this year’s list end in an “a,” a staggering 46 in the top 100.
Lily sneaked up to third place, Isla moved up to fourth, and Ava held onto fifth place.
Grace moved up to sixth place, Sophia took seventh, and Freya and Ivy are eighth and ninth on the list.
Margot and Gabriella have also made impressive debuts, proving that classic names with a touch of glamor are still preferred.
A number of classic and once-popular names look like they won’t appeal to most expectant parents this year, according to the latest data from Babycentre (file image)
In the men’s top 100, Ryan has risen 12 spots to 53rd place, making him the biggest climber among male nicknames.
For boys, a growing trend is short and long versions of names, such as Theodore, Theo and Teddy, as parents opt for a more traditional name or a fun nickname.
Noah narrowly misses out on the coveted top spot as he comes in second, Oliver holds steady at number five on the list and Arthur and George take sixth and seventh place.
Additionally, American-inspired names like Hunter, Hudson, Mason, Harrison and Logan have become favorites of parents looking for a name with bold energy and a sense of individuality.
However, expectant parents appear to be avoiding names that were once popular, with the biggest flops on the girls’ list joining in at 94th and 95th.
Amelie, now 94, has fallen 12 places from last year’s list and Lucy, 95, has dropped 11 places.
In a surprising turn, Nova and Lilly dropped out of the top 100 entirely.
Nova, once a rising star, has fallen off the charts and sits at No. 94 on the 2023 list.
Parents-to-be appear to be avoiding once-popular names, with the biggest drops on the girls’ list, Amelie and Lucy, joining in at No. 94 and No. 95 (file image)
Meanwhile, although Lily has become significantly popular among expectant parents, the alternate double-L spelling, Lilly, has seen a significant drop after ranking in the mid-90s in 2023.
For the guys, Jason has suffered a dramatic fall: he fell completely out of the top 100 after years of being a classical mainstay.
On the boys list, Jaxton also dropped to 64th on the list, while Austin dropped to 91st.
The latest data comes as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published its latest analysis of baby names in the UK, and one of the most interesting features of the data is the continued rise in unique, gender-independent nicknames.
Each year the ONS publishes the ranking and count of the top names for girls and boys, as well as changes in the ranking since the previous year.