Exclusive:
New data from the BabyCentre reveals the most popular names for girls and boys this year – with some ‘notable’ trends emerging from surname-inspired monikers to favourite letters
This year’s list of the top 100 baby names for boys and girls has emerged, and experts have noticed some intriguing trends.
From once-loved names plummeting out of fashion to an uptick in surname-inspired monikers, baby name land has seen yet another shake-up as two glamorous names make their debut in the top 100, according to the latest BabyCentre data. There was no change to the number one spots this year, with Olivia and Muhammad holding on to the top position in girls’ and boys’ charts, respectively.
Faye Mingo Chief Marketing Officer at BabyCentre, said: “The top names for both boys and girls have remained largely consistent with last year’s picks, but a few notable trends have emerged. Surname-inspired names for boys like Hunter and Harrison are on the rise, and there’s a trend of girls’ names ending in ‘a,’ like favourites Olivia and Amelia.
“It’s clear that while parents are embracing some fresh twists, the classic choices still hold strong and parents are looking for a name with timeless appeal.” It comes after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its annual figures for the most popular baby names in England and Wales last week.
The data, which always reflects the year just gone, makes up the top 100 names for boys and girls from 2023. While the favourite for girls, Olivia, stayed the same, the top spot for boys changed – with Muhammad overtaking Noah as the favourite for baby boys. Here, the Mirror takes a look at the biggest trends from the most popular of 2024 list…
Glamorous names make their entrance
Margot and Gabriella have made their girls’ top 100 debut, landing at 88 and 99, respectively, bringing a touch of classic Hollywood glitter to the chart, according to the BabyCentre data. It’s thought the fondness for Margot could stem from the popularity of actress Margot Robbie, whose role in last year’s Barbie movie was one of the defining pop culture moments of 2023.
Of course, as fans will no doubt be aware, Margot gave birth to her first child, a little boy, in November, making this a particularly special choice this year as her fellow new mums scour the baby name books. Over on the boys’ list, Matthew and Elliot have also entered the top 100, with Matthew entering at number 88 and Elliot following closely behind at 95.
Falling stars
Two once fashionable girls’ names appeared to have lost their shine, with both Nova and Lilly dropping out of the top 100 altogether. Much like its celestial meaning, Nova twinkled as a star on the rise last year, securing spot number 94. However, it’s now blinkered out of the charts, for now at least.
As for classic Lilly, although the Lily spelling is on the up, the double L spelling, which was proudly used in the mid-90s in 2023, has now wilted. When it comes to nosediving boys’ names, longtime top 100 choice Jason has fallen steeply and is nowhere to be seen on this year’s list.
Penchant for ‘A’ names
Interestingly, nearly half of this year’s top 100 girls’ names end with an ‘A’, with some of the list’s most significant climbers, such as Emma (Up by 13 places to 76), Ariella (Up by 13 places to 84), and plucky new contender Gabriella, making a splash.
Mix of formal and playful
Two very different trends are on the rise, with a spurt in both short and long versions of classic names. For example, Theodore, Theo, and Teddy are all considered top choices, as parents opt for formal full names and more relaxed nicknames.
Experts have seen this with steady Thomas, up one place at 25, and playful Tommy, which has maintained spot number 27. Sophisticated Oliver (number five) and laid-back Ollie (number 80) also follows this distinct trend.
Surname preference
Boy parents still love using strong surname options as first names for their sons, with bold American-inspired choices such as Hunter, Hudson, Mason, Harrison and Logan being firm favourites for parents brining a bold, contemporary energy to the charts.
Spelling shuffle
Parents have been getting creative with spellings this year, adding some unique twists. Both Sophia and Sofia continue to flourish, while this year’s top name for boys, Muhammad, is joined by two other spelling variations in the top 100 – Mohammad and Mohammed.
Top 100 girls’ names
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Lily
- Isla
- Ava
- Grace
- Sophia
- Freya
- Ivy
- Willow
- Mia
- Isabella
- Daisy
- Elsie
- Evie
- Florence
- Luna
- Sienna
- Sofia
- Ella
- Emily
- Phoebe
- Evelyn
- Poppy
- Aurora
- Aria
- Charlotte
- Rosie
- Harper
- Maya
- Layla
- Millie
- Maryam
- Maisie
- Hallie
- Mila
- Sophie
- Eliana
- Fatima
- Jasmine
- Lottie
- Bonnie
- Eva
- Matilda
- Ayla
- Emilia
- Violet
- Zara
- Zoe
- Alice
- Chloe
- Maeve
- Ada
- Ruby
- Sarah
- Ellie
- Arabella
- Isabelle
- Hannah
- Mabel
- Robyn
- Delilah
- Hazel
- Eleanor
- Erin
- Maria
- Rose
- Bella
- Thea
- Penelope
- Princess
- Esme
- Nur
- Imogen
- Eden
- Emma
- Olive
- Scarlett
- Aisha
- Lyra
- Orla
- Gianna
- Abigail
- Ariella
- Clara
- Anaya
- Lara
- Margot
- Myla
- Ophelia
- Talia
- Kiara
- Iris
- Amelie
- Lucy
- Nora
- Raya
- Zahra
- Gabriella
- Summer
Top 100 boys’ names
- Muhammad
- Noah
- Theo
- Leo
- Oliver
- Arthur
- George
- Luca
- Freddie
- Jack
- Ethan
- Charlie
- Henry
- Oscar
- Archie
- Jude
- Alfie
- Lucas
- Liam
- Elijah
- Jacob
- James
- Arlo
- Teddy
- Thomas
- Ezra
- Tommy
- Harry
- Joshua
- Isaac
- Max
- Adam
- Finley
- Nathan
- David
- Rory
- Albie
- Theodore
- Jayden
- Alexander
- Sebastian
- Daniel
- Dylan
- Reuben
- Roman
- Aiden
- Mohammad
- Logan
- Mohammed
- Caleb
- Harrison
- Mason
- Ryan
- William
- Ali
- Hudson
- Gabriel
- Hugo
- Louis
- Kai
- Michael
- Asher
- Louie
- Jaxon
- Oakley
- Jesse
- Samuel
- Rowan
- Joseph
- Zion
- Alex
- Benjamin
- Luke
- Hunter
- Reggie
- Ibrahim
- Edward
- Zachary
- Abdul
- Ollie
- Musa
- Abdullah
- Cody
- Myles
- Ronnie
- Levi
- Yusuf
- Matthew
- Toby
- Frankie
- Austin
- Finn
- Omar
- Zayn
- Elliot
- Grayson
- Ahmed
- Hamza
- Sonny
- Albert
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