Choosing a baby name could be one of the most important decision you make as a new parent. Many parents will relate to the struggle to find the balance between finding a name which feels right for you whilst being something which will stand the test of time and be as fitting for your newborn as it is for that person as they age. If you’re looking for a little inspiration for choosing a safer name which will age well, have a look at this recent study revealing the most popular baby names of the past 100 years.
The study has revealed the most popular baby names for boys and girls, taking data from the past 100 years of ONS data.. The research was conducted by online label brand My Nametags.
Results from the data showed 15 names in particular had ranked highly in every decade for the past 100 years, read on to see which names proved timeless throughout trends.
Top 15 Baby Names of 100 Years (1920 - 2020)
- 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
It may come as no surprise that names favoured by the Royal family proved popular within each decade. Elizabeth, George, Charles, Edward and William all made the list, making sense as the Royals can be expected to stick to very traditional names for their children.
13 boys’ name made the list versus just 2 girls’ names, proving there is much more versatility in female name trends. Dat showed that 339 different girls’ names appeared in the top 100 of each decade between the 1920s and 2010s, compared to just 276 boys’ names.
The data analysis by leading name label manufacturer, mynametags.com, also reveals a shift in parents’ attitudes towards nicknames throughout the generations. For instance, Alexander is one of the most consistently popular names, having been in the charts every decade since the 1920s, whilst Alex didn’t become popular in its own right until the 80s. The same trend can be seen with Anthony, Daniel, and Joshua, with their shortened versions – Tony, Danny, and Josh – all making appearances as given names later in the records.
Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at My Nametags, comments: “At My Nametags, we have been tracking baby name trends for almost two decades. Throughout the years, we have seen many names come and go, with trends often influenced by pop culture. For example, we saw a huge spike in the name Aria whilst Game of Thrones was airing. However, there are some names that seem to have enduring appeal.
“It’s interesting to see that, whilst traditional monikers like Elizabeth and George are maintaining their charm, names in general are becoming more diverse as parents favour less formal options, and increasingly take inspiration from popular culture. For example, Maeve made the top 100 charts in 2020, a year after the Netflix show Sex Education aired for the first time with its lead character Maeve Wiley. As popular culture continues to have a wider social impact, we expect this trend to grow, leading to an even broader range of names in the UK.”
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