Ah, baby names. If you’re pregnant or planning on having a child, you’re probably thinking long and hard about the perfect moniker for your little one. And even if you’re not expecting, it can be fun to imagine what you might want to name your offspring in the future. If you’ve got your heart set on a really unique baby name, it can be helpful to find out what everyone else is calling their little ones (so you can copy or avoid). It’s also handy to know which names are fast falling out of fashion.
The life insurance team at Comparethemarket analyzed data from the Office for National Statistics in the United Kingdom to find out the names that have fallen out of favor in recent years across the pond. It turns out, Varsha and Arun experienced the greatest decline in popularity since 2011. Varsha saw the greatest decline for girls abroad (-100%) while Arun declined the most for boys (-67%). Previously well-loved names Lucy and Chloe also experienced a significant decline in popularity in the UK, with both being used over 70% less than they were in 2011.
In the US, Stacker used data from the Social Security Administration to find which names had dropped in popularity since 1999. The names that they found are being used less in modern times here in the states include Todd, Jill, Craig, Latoya, Brent, Misty, Jeffery, Kristy, Shaun, and Dawn.
Okay, but which baby names are trending already this year? According to Nameberry, Luxury has taken the top spot for girls, dethroning Maeve, while Royal reigns supreme for boys, pushing Soren down to the second place. But keep this in mind: These are simply the most visited names on the site at this time. It doesn’t track whether or not parents will actually choose these monikers, simply that they’re curious about that. Even so, it’s a good indication of what types of baby names are currently in the zeitgeist and likely to be popular in the future.
So what are the top 10 girl names of 2023 so far?
That is, according to Nameberry.
1. Luxury
2. Maeve
3. Aurelia
4. Isla
5. Eloise
6. Luna
7. Alice
8. Aurora
9. Ophelia
10. Evangeline
What are the most popular boys’ names of 2023 so far?
Again, this is according to Nameberry.
1. Royal
2. Soren
3. Theodore
4. Silas
5. Atticus
6. Felix
7. Oliver
8. Hugo
9. Arlo
10. Caspian
If you’re looking for a more timeless baby name, however, a new analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) baby name data by mynametags.com has revealed the names that have stood the test of time in the United Kingdom and remained consistently popular over the last 100 years.
A total of 15 names have made it into the top 100 most popular names every single decade since the 1920s. The list includes a number of traditional British names favored by the monarchy such as George, Charles, and Elizabeth.
Thirteen boys’ names made the list, compared with just two girls’ names, suggesting that parents are more daring in their choices for baby girls. In fact, 339 different girls’ names appeared in the top 100 of each decade between the 1920s and 2010s, compared to just 276 boys’ names.
So without further ado, here are the most-loved baby names that haven’t fallen out of fashion since 1920, according to mynametags.com:
What are the most timeless baby names?
1. Alexander
2. Charles
3. Daniel
4. David
5. Edward
6. Elizabeth
7. George
8. James
9. Joseph
10. Michael
11. Mohammed
12. Robert
13. Sarah
14. Thomas
15. William
What baby names are popular around the world?
As part of Nameberry’s research, it looked into the top 10 most-searched baby names in countries around the world. While not comprehensive, it is an interesting look into what names transcend location.
England
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Isla
- Ava
- Ivy
- Noah
- Oliver
- George
- Arthur
- Muhammad
Argentina
- Emma
- Olivia
- Alma
- Martina
- Isabella
- Mateo
- Bautista
- Felipe
- Noah
- Juan
Australia
- Isla
- Charlotte
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Ava
- Oliver
- Noah
- Jack
- Henry
- William
Bosnia
- Sara
- Merjem
- Asja
- Esma
- Amina
- Davud
- Ahmed
- Hamza
- Amar
- Adin
Brazil
- Maria Alice
- Helena
- Alice
- Laura
- Maria Cecilia
- Miguel
- Gael
- Arthur
- Heitor
- Theo
Chile
- Sofia
- Emma
- Isabella
- Emilia
- Mia
- Mateo
- Lucas
- Augustin
- Benjamin
- Santiago
Finland
- Olivia
- Aino
- Aada
- Lilja
- Eevi
- Leo
- Vaino
- Eino
- Oliver
- Elias
France
- Jade
- Louise
- Emma
- Ambre
- Alice
- Gabriel
- Leo
- Raphael
- Louis
- Arthur
Germany
- Emilia
- Mia
- Sophia
- Emma
- Hannah
- Noah
- Matteo
- Elias
- Finn
- Leon
Ireland
- Emily
- Grace
- Fiadh
- Sophie
- Lily
- Jack
- Noah
- James
- Rian
- Charlie
Israel
- Tamar
- Maya
- Abigail
- Noa
- Sarah
- David
- Lavi
- Ariel
- Yosef
- Noam
Italy
- Sofia
- Aurora
- Giulia
- Ginevra
- Beatrice
- Leonardo
- Alessandro
- Tommaso
- Francesco
- Lorenzo
New Zealand
- Isla
- Amelia
- Charlotte
- Mila
- Lily
- Oliver
- Noah
- Leo
- Jack
- Luca
Poland
- Zofia
- Zuzanna
- Hanna
- Laura
- Maja
- Antoni
- Jan
- Akelsander
- Nikodem
- Franciszek
Portugal
- Maria
- Alice
- Leonor
- Matilde
- Benedita
- Francisco
- Afonso
- Joao
- Tomas
- Duarte
Spain
- Lucia
- Martina
- Sofia
- Maria
- Valeria
- Martin
- Hugo
- Mateo
- Leo
- Lucas
Sweden
- Astrid
- Maja
- Alma
- Vera
- Freja
- William
- Liam
- Noah
- Hugo
- Oliver
Turkey
- Zeynep
- Elif
- Asel
- Asya
- Defne
- Yusuf
- Alparslan
- Mirac
- Omer Asaf
- Eymen
United States
- Olivia
- Emma
- Charlotte
- Amelia
- Sophia
- Liam
- Noah
- Oliver
- James
- Elijah
What TV-inspired names can we expect to be big through the year?
Obviously trends will change over the coming months, and it seems parents-to-be will be influenced by one of Netflix’s hit shows. Indeed, the popularity of Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte is set to fuel a rise in Regency-style baby names, according to Bella Baby.
Here are the Regency-inspired baby names we might all be plumping for this year thanks to the period dramas..:
Anthony
Bridget
Cressida
Daphne
Eloise
Francesca
Genevieve
Hyacinth
Isabel
Jeffrey
Kitty
Lord
Marina
Nigel
Oliver
Penelope
Quinn
Reginald
Simon
Thompson
Uriana
Violet
William
This post was originally published in Glamour