The BabyCentre has released its annual top 100 baby names – but reveal that the climate crisis and female footballers have had a big influence on baby names this year too.
Olivia, Sophia and Ava topped the list for favourite baby girl names, however the UK baby website claim that female footballers, including England’s Lionesses, have inspired some parents.
The list, which is collated after thousands of parents register their babies names on the website, also saw Muhammad, Noah and Leo top the list for boys names.
However, earth-friendly baby names have also been popular, with Forrest and Ivy appearing on the list – as parents become more conscious of climate change.
Other factors that influenced names where characters from musical films and children’s favourite books.
Top 100 boys baby names
1. Muhammad +0
2. Noah +1
3. Leo +2
4. Oliver -2
5. Charlie +3
6. Harry -2
7. George -1
8. Arthur +2
9. Freddie +0
10. Jack -3
11. Theo +3
12. Oscar +1
13. Jacob +3
14. Ethan +5
15. Alfie -4
16. Jaxon +8
17. Thomas +3
18. Joshua -1
19. Henry -7
20. Lucas +3
21. Archie -6
22. Max +3
23. Isaac +3
24. James -6
25. Adam +3
26. Louis +65
27. Elijah +6
28. Teddy +2
29. Aiden +57
30. Finley -3
31. William -10
32. Alexander -3
33. Luca +11
34. Daniel +0
35. Logan -13
36. Liam +3
37. Jayden +25
38. Tommy +9
39. Harrison -7
40. Reuben +3
41. Theodore +22
42. Arlo -5
43. Elliott -8
44. Dylan -6
45. Ryan +11
46. Mason -15
47. Joseph -11
48. Sebastian -8
49. Samuel +0
50. Caleb +0
51. Kian new!
52. Yusuf new!
53. Albie -7
54. Ollie +18
55. David +20
56. Zachary +2
57. Nathan +4
58. Riley -7
59. Rory -17
60. Hugo +6
61. Edward -9
62. Hunter -21
63. Ezra -10
64. Benjamin -19
65. Toby -10
66. Jude -9
67. Luke -7
68. Carter +2
69. Gabriel +10
70. Grayson +6
71. Kayden new!
72. Alex -18
73. Reggie -5
74. Finn -26
75. Ahmad new!
76. Matthew -12
77. Jesse +10
78. Bobby -1
79. Frankie -20
80. Myles new!
81. Roman -14
82. Michael +0
83. Kai +7
84. Connor new!
85. John -1
86. Blake +2
87. Matteo new!
88. Ali-14
89. Eli +3
90. Ibrahim new!
91. Harvey -18
92. Aaron +3
93. Evan new!
94. Jenson -29
95. Stanley -15
96. Harley -18
97. Jason new!
98. Leon new!
99. Levi new!
100. Lewis -3
Top 100 girls baby names
1. Olivia +0
2. Sophia +0
3. Ava +2
4. Amelia -1
5. Isla +3
6. Lily -2
7. Mia +2
8. Emily -2
9. Isabella +3
10. Freya +13
11. Aria -1
12. Ella -5
13. Evie +3
14. Grace -3
15. Isabelle -2
16. Ivy +2
17. Rosie +14
18. Sophie -4
19. Willow +9
20. Charlotte -5
21. Poppy -4
22. Elsie -3
23. Emilia +18
24. Sienna +0
25. Phoebe +7
26. Ruby +10
27. Hannah +6
28. Evelyn -2
29. Zara +33
30. Florence -1
31. Maya -1
32. Luna +16
33. Eva -8
34. Darcie +25
35. Emma +0
36. Mila +3
37. Chloe -15
38. Daisy -17
39. Alice -19
40. Layla -3
41. Matilda -7
42. Harper -15
43. Molly +24
44. Ellie +1
45. Nur new!
46. Eliza +7
47. Zoe -3
48. Sarah -1
49. Thea +2
50. Bella +6
51. Ada -9
52. Maisie -6
53. Jessica -13
54. Millie -16
55. Lucy -12
56. Violet +8
57. Fatima +37
58. Scarlett -8
59. Maryam -4
60. Penelope -8
61. Holly +4
62. Erin -5
63. Anna -2
64. Eleanor +7
65. Robyn +27
66. Imogen -8
67. Lottie +13
68. Hallie new!
69. Harriet -3
70. Aurora +3
71. Esme +1
72. Lola -18
73. Amber -13
74. Iris +15
75. Maria +2
76. Jasmine +12
77. Bonnie +2
78. Abigail -29
79. Amelie +8
80. Clara -5
81. Ayla -5
82. Annabelle -19
83. Gracie -13
84. Rose -3
85. Georgia -17
86. Summer +5
87. Arabella -2
88. Delilah new!
89. Elizabeth -5
90. Lara -8
91. Leah new!
92. Kiara -9
93. Myla new!
94. Nancy +3
95. Eden +5
96. Orla -6
97. Heidi -11
98. Martha -3
99. Penny new!
100. Ariana new!
The girls baby name list included Freya – which stormed an impressive 13 places to push Aria out of tenth position, while another new top 10 entry, Isabella, rose three places to number nine.
The highest chart riser was Fatima, gaining 37 places to land at number 57, while Zara also soared 33 places up the charts to number 29.
Top 100 new entries included Nur at number 45, Hallie at number 68 and Delilah at 88. These new entries came at the cost of Felicity, Elena and Victoria, which were among those to be shunted out of the charts.
For the boys list new royal baby name Louis raced 65 places up to number 26, but elsewhere in the charts, parents’ interest in royal names dwindled. George, Archie and William all slipped down the charts.
Olivia, Sophia and Ava top the list for favourite baby girl names, however the UK baby website claim that female footballers, including England’s Lionesses, have inspired some of the new names. Stock picture
Eco appeal
As Extinction Rebellion protests and school climate strikes dominated the headlines, earth-friendly baby names made their mark on a new generation of eco-conscious mother and fathers.
Musical inspiration
In a year of musical films, including the long-awaited new Lion King movie, Simba appeared for the very first time while the number of baby Nalas quadrupled. Meanwhile, Queen fans may have taken inspiration from the Bohemian Rhapsody biopic as Freddie remained a steadfast top 10 favourite and Brian continued its surprising rise outside the top 100. Mary, the name of Freddie Mercury’s girlfriend, increased in registrations too.
Another musical biopic, Rocketman, could be behind the reason for Elton appearing in BabyCentre registrations for the first time. Bernie, after Elton’s manager Bernie Taupin, was also on the rise, along with Taran (Egerton, the lead actor), Sheila and Ivy, Elton’s mum and grandmother.
A Star is Born, released at the end of last year, may still be weaving its magic on parents too. Ally, the lead female character played by Lady Gaga, increased in popularity. Jaxon and all its different spellings, including that of male lead character Jackson, broke into the top 20.
Yesterday, a Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis film featuring Beatles songs, inspired parents too this year. Eleanor climbed seven places to number 64 and Penny was a new entry in the top 100. Both names feature in Beatles songs which are explored in the film.
‘It’s been a year of blockbuster musical movies and this clearly struck a chord with BabyCentre parents, who found notes of inspiration in films ranging from Bohemian Rhapsody to The Lion King,’ said Lorna.
‘Looking forward, we also wonder if Frozen fans are anticipating the sequel to the animated hit, as we’re seeing an increase in babies named Elsa, Olaf, Hans and Anna.’
Nature sparked the imagination of parents, with Robyn soaring 27 places to number 65, while Forrest, Eden, Ivy, Rowan, Willow, Holly, Jasmine, Iris and Olive were also on the rise.
Lorna Marsh, BabyCentre senior editor, said: ‘As predicted in our 2019 half-year baby name results, eco-conscious parents also looked to climate campaigners for inspiration. David, which could have been inspired by David Attenborough continued its impressive climb, gaining 20 places to number 55. Outside the girls’ top 100, registrations were up for Greta, after Greta Thunberg made a big impression this year.
Lioness pride
More than one billion viewers tuned in to the tournament this year as the Lionesses played their way to fourth place. Not only did it inspire a surge in female football teams, but it seems parents also looked to the star players for naming inspiration.
Rising in popularity were names from England’s Lionesses, including Lucy (Bronze), Ellen (White) and Karen (Carney, Farley and Walker), while Fara (Williams), Jill (Scott) and Kim (Little) all appeared for the first time this year. Parents also looked to Scottish players Erin (Cuthbert), Lana (Clelland) and Fiona (Brown), and some of the better-known American soccer players Megan (Rapinoe) and Carli (Lloyd).
Bookworm babies
Literary heroes and heroines proved a big hit. Parents opted for Charlie, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was up three places to number five, as well as rising stars Luna and Hermione from Harry Potter and Nancy, after the Nancy Drew series.
There was even a registration for Katniss, which is the lead character in The Hunger Games. Perhaps unsurprisingly, with an adaptation of His Dark Materials currently running on TV, parents took inspiration from one of Philip Pullman’s best-loved characters, Lyra.
Favourite characters from books for younger readers also influenced parents’ naming choices. Winnie, from Winne the Pooh, gained in popularity to land just outside the top 100, Thomas (the Tank Engine) continued to chug up the top 20, and the number of registrations for Jemima, as in Jemima Puddleduck, almost doubled.
