The most popular baby names in the UK have been revealed, with Noah and Olivia topping the annual list once again.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published the latest new name data for England and Wales, from births in 2022.
Olivia has once again been crowned the most popular girls’ name, for the seventh year in a row at the top of the ONS list. Meanwhile Isla, Ava and Amelia also continue to fly high.
Meanwhile, the boy’s name Oliver fell to second place in 2021, after being the most popular nickname for eight years before Noah overtook it.
ONS data also shows that the name Muhammed, which was ranked 20th in 2012, has gained popularity in recent times and is now ranked number two.
Oh baby! The most popular names in the UK have been revealed, with names such as Noah, Muhammed and Olivia topping the list (file image)
Other names holding a place in the top five names for boys are George and Leo, while former champion Oliver has now fallen to fourth place.
Rounding out the top 10 girls’ names are Lily, Ivy, Freya, Florence, Isabella, Mia and Willow.
Older names are becoming much rarer, says Dr James Tucker of the ONS.
He explains: ‘Noah was the most popular boy’s name in 2022, for the second year in a row, having replaced Oliver at the top in 2021. Oliver has now fallen to the fourth most popular boy’s name, behind Muhammad and George.
‘Olivia remained the most popular girl’s name in 2022, having held first place since 2016. In second and third place for girls are Amelia and Isla, both unchanged from 2021.
“Theodore, Theo and Freddie are three new entries in the top 10 for boys’ names in 2022. Isabella is the only new entry in the top 10 for girls.”
Olivia has once again been crowned the most popular girls’ name for the eighth year in a row, according to the latest ONS statistics.
What if you need some inspiration for a newcomer? Look who’s famous, says Dr. Tucker.
‘Popular culture continues to influence parents’ choice of baby names. Today we also published an analysis that explores the cultural influences that could inspire baby name trends, from hit TV shows to musical icons.
According to ONS data on the most popular baby names in a generation from 1996 to 2021, nicknames like Lauren have seen big drops since 1996.
On the list, Lauren fell from fifth to 567, Megan from tenth to 330 and Amy from ninth to 285.
None of the top 10 guys since 1996 have fallen at such a rate, but those who have fallen the most are Matthew, from sixth to 123, and Ryan, from seventh to 106.
Half of the 10 most popular boy names for mothers under 25 were shortened versions of traditional names. Of the ten most popular baby names for mothers age 35 and older, only one was a shortened name.
Willow, Isabella, Harper and Delilah were girls’ names that were only in the top ten among mothers under 25, while Charlotte, Grace, Sophie and Sophia were more likely among mothers over 35.
The ONS said: “The long-standing trend of older mothers giving their babies more traditional names and younger mothers giving more modern, shortened versions of traditional names continued.”
The ONS also said famous figures and cultural influences were affecting baby names. He suggested that the Disney Pixar film Luca may have increased interest in the main character’s name, which rose from 1,323 in 2020 to 1,807 in 2021, making it the 28th most popular among children last year.
The release of the Disney animation Raya and the Last Dragon in 2021 also led to an increase in the number of girls named Raya, which doubled from 110 in 2020 to 251 last year.
Meanwhile, the name Boris fell in the rankings last year, from 745th in 2020 to 815th in 2021.
Let’s call him Otis! Popular culture has a big influence on naming lists, the ONS says, and Asa Butterfield’s character in Sex Education gave rise to a series of boys called Otis.
Closer analysis showed that many parents were inspired by the Royal Family, with eight girls named Lilibet in the months after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave their daughter the nickname of the late Queen Elizabeth.
The birth of their son Archie in 2020 also sparked a surge in that name’s popularity, just as the Prince and Princess of Wales’s choices for George, Charlotte and Louis were copied by hundreds of parents across the country.
But Netflix seemed to have a bigger influence, as hundreds of children were given unusual names after characters from the streaming service’s hit shows.
There were 737 boys named Otis and 654 girls named Maeve in 2021, possibly copied from Sex Education characters, while Stranger Things is thought to have influenced a small rise for Dustin, and even three girls named Eleven after the main science protagonist . fi series.
Modern pop stars George Ezra and Mabel also inspired many parents, while the death of David Bowie in 2016 led to a rise in the number of children named Ziggy.
The number of children registered with the name Ziggy, a reference to his acclaimed 1972 album Ziggy Stardust, at birth in England and Wales increased from 49 to 136 between 2016 and 2021.
The number of children registered under the name Bowie increased from 35 to 78 in the same period.