Most popular boys' and girls' names of 2024 revealed
New entries to the top 100 names for girls include Eloise, Nora, Myla, Rosa, Athena, Sara and Zoe. New entries for boys include Austin, Nathan, Vinnie and Yahya.Muhammad retained its place as the most popular boys' name, with 5,721 babies given the name. It was ranked first in five of nine regions in England and came 57th in Wales.Other spellings of the name also made the list: Mohammed came in 21st place, with 1,760 given the name, and Mohammad in 53rd place, with 986.Some 2,761 baby girls in England and Wales were named Olivia, ranking first in seven English regions and Wales. SJ Strum, a baby expert and author of Baby Name Envy, said she was not surprised the name has taken the number one spot once more, but that she was a "little disappointed". "It's a name everyone loves - it was Louise in the 90s, Sarah in the 80s," Ms Strum continued."Olivia is a great pick as a timeless name, but we are seeing fewer and fewer Olivias being born. People are now looking for more unique names." She said the "traditional top hitters" always make the list, but beneath those are names influenced by popular culture. Examples include Margot, after Hollywood actress Margot Robbie, and Otis, a character from the popular Netflix series Sex Education."Parents are taking inspiration from the world around them and following their passions," Ms Strum explained.But when it comes to boys, she said British parents tend to be "traditional namers", as an attempt to "set them up to succeed in the workplace".She added that names that were once popular over a century ago are becoming so once more."Arthur is now in the top 10 names - that wouldn't have been [the case] 15 years ago."This is known as the 100-year rule, according to Clare Green, another expert who writes for baby-naming website Nameberry. "We tend to use names which are just old enough not to be a grandparent name, but the generation up," she said. "They're outside living memory and part of the love for all things vintage."It is because of this that we might see a resurgence of names like Susan or Roger in the next generation, she added. Names relating to nature also made the list of most popular names, with Lily, Poppy and Ivy among the top 10. Ms Green said that names like these are "evergreen" - mainstays in the top 100 for years. But are there any that surprised her this year?"In some ways, it is the names that people feel are a bit dated, like Jessica, but are still in the top 100 list," she says. Names given to baby boys fewer than five times in 2024 include Awesome, Cuthbert, Crispin and Beckham. Names given to baby girls fewer than five times include Sicily, Everest, Orchid and Poem.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
17 minutes ago
- The Sun
Coronation Street legend to make dramatic return to cobbles as new Rovers landlady seven years after quitting soap
CATHERINE Tyldesley is making a Coronation Street comeback as new landlady of the Rovers Return pub. Bosses persuaded Catherine, 41, who plays Eva Price, to rejoin after seven years away with the promise of big storylines. 4 4 4 By running the pub, Eva Price will follow in the footsteps of key former Street characters including Liz McDonald, Bet Lynch and Annie Walker. It comes after The Sun revealed actress Sally Ann Matthews, who plays recent landlady Jenny Connor, had been axed from the ITV soap. A source said: 'It's one of the biggest jobs in soap, the landlady of the Rovers Return pub. "Bosses were desperate to get Cath back. "They came up with the perfect storyline with her being unveiled as the new landlady of the Rovers.' Catherine agreed to make her comeback earlier this year and is set to start filming next week. She will be back on screen this autumn. Eva was last seen leaving Weatherfield for a fresh start in France with her baby daughter Susie following the tragic suicide of the child's dad Aidan Connor (Shayne Ward). Catherine played Eva from 2011 to 2018. The actress took part in BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing in 2019. Coronation Street legend makes shock return - as son's exit storyline begins 4
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
King enjoys dram of whisky at Highland Games
The King enjoyed a dram of whisky and met competitors when he attended the Mey Highland Games in Caithness. Charles wore a traditional kilt and was pictured waving as he arrived at the games on Saturday. He was seen smiling as he sat down in a marquee, and his cousin, Lady Sarah Chatto, was sat behind him. The first Mey Games was held in the nearby village of Mey in 1970 to celebrate the late Queen Mother's 70th birthday. As guest of honour on the day, she declared the event a success and encouraged its organisers to make it an annual event.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Christine McGuinness reveals ex Paddy's reaction to her dating women as she says she'll never marry again
CHRISTINE McGuinness has opened up about her ex Paddy 's reaction to her dating woman and said she'll never marry again. Paddy and Christine announced they had separated in 2022 after 15 years together. 7 7 7 The pair still live together for the sake of their children, despite their split. Christine spoke out about her sexuality for the first time recently, revealing she has dated both sexes since she was a teen. The Sun revealed her fling with a leading soap actress earlier this month. Their encounter came in 2023, the year after Christine split from her ex-Top Gear host husband, Paddy, 51. The well-known actress, whom we are not naming, has previously been in relationships with men. Months after their marriage ended, Christine was pictured kissing singer Chelcee Grimes, 33. It was revealed how Christine got "incredibly close" to footballer Chelcee before splitting from Paddy. Yet the songwriter's recent fallout with pal Christine recently came to light, with the real reason for the pair's toxic spat revealed. The former couple have since disconnected on social media. Now, opening up in an interview with The Mail, Christine has revealed her ex Paddy's reaction to her dating woman. Christine McGuinness gives update on relationship with Paddy after soap star fling She said: "We spoke about this after we separated – what are we comfortable with, how much did we want to share – because neither of us wants to wake up and find the other on the front page of a newspaper. "But it's been three years now, I don't need to know what he's doing and he doesn't need to know about me. "It just stays outside the home." Christine then continued to explain that she would never bring a date back home. She shrieked: "No way! Even if I lived on my own it would be a long time before I took that step. "I was messaging an amazing woman last year, and it took three months before I agreed to meet her for a date. Christine has also said she would never use a dating app and meets people through friends, as her public profile is too high. Christine refuses to discuss Paddy's romantic life. The implication is they have both moved on and their private lives are none of each other's business. But could she see herself getting married again? "No,' she said. " I don't mean I'm traumatised by marriage; I was just so young then. I didn't understand how you're legally tied to someone if you're married. "I want to be in a committed relationship, but I want the freedom to walk away." Paddy and Christine first met through a mutual friend in 2007, when she was 19 and he was 33. In 2020, she was diagnosed with autism and ADHD after spending the majority of her life confused as to why she acted differently from everyone else growing up. Since then, the TV star has been raising awareness for it through interviews, television shows and public speaking. 7 7 7 7
