Grace in favour – reminiscent names top list! Classic names reminiscent of stars from a bygone era have topped the list of the popular baby names of 2007, with Grace the favourite
choice for girls.
Other names in the top 20 – including Ruby, Ella and Evie - suggest parents have shunned modern-day celebrities and taken inspiration from the likes of Grace Kelly, Ella Fitzgerald and Gracie Fields.
Singer Mika’s No 1 single Grace Kelly could also have helped propel the name to the top of the list. For boys, Jack remained unshakably popular, topping the list for the 13th year running.
The traditional choices Oliver, Thomas, Joshua and James also did well in the list compiled from the registration of 380,000 babies born in Britain this year.
Other old-fashioned names proving popular included Charlie, rising from ninth to second, and Harry and Alfie, both making it into the Top 10.
Previously, all three would have been nicknames but are now considered names in their own right. This year, Charles only made it to 123rd in the list.
The fastest-rising girl’s name this year was Ruby, rocketing from No12 in 2006 to second place this year. Last year’s favourite, Sophie, fell to sixth place.
The list, compiled prior to the official figures released in January 2008, suggests parents are tired of “trendy” names which later appear dated
Boys |
Girls |
| 1. Jack 2. Thomas 3. Oliver 4. Joshua 5. Harry 6. Charlie 7. Daniel 8. William 9. James 10. Alfie 11. Samuel 12. George 13. Joseph 14. Benjamin 15. Ethan 16. Alfie 17. Lewis 18. Mohammed 19. Jake 20. Dylan 21. Jacob 22. Luke 23. Callum 24. Alexander 25. Matthew 26. Ryan 27. Adam 28. Tyler 29. Liam 30. Harvey 31. Max 32. Harrison 33. Jayden 34. Cameron 35. Henry 36. Archie 37. Connor 38. Jamie 39. Muhammad 40. Oscar 41. Edward 42. Lucas 43. Isaac 44. Leo 45. Owen 46. Nathan 47. Michael 48. Finley 49. Ben 50. Aaron |
1. Grace 2. Ruby 3. Olivia 4. Emily 5. Jessica 6. Sophie 7. Chloe 8. Lily 9. Lily 10. Ella 11. Amelia 12. Lucy 13. Charlotte 14.Ellie 15.Mia 16.Evie 17. Hannah 18. Megan 19. Katie 20. Isabelle 21. Millie 22. Abigail 23. Amy 24. Daisy 25. Freya 26. Emma 27. Erin 28. Poppy 29. Molly 30. Holly 31. Phoebe 32. Jasmine 33. Caitlin 34. Imogen 35.Madison 36. Elizabeth 37. Sophia 38. Keira 39. Scarlett 40. Leah 41. Ava 42. Georgia 43.Alice 44. Summer 45. Isabel 46. Rebecca 47. Lauren 48. Amber 49. Eleanor 50. Bethany |
| Source: Office for National Statistics, England and Wales |
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Where to next?
- Need help choosing a name? Help is at hand with our baby
names finder - The best new names for Christmas babies
- The coolest baby names of 2007.
- Test your knowledge of the Do’s and Don’ts of babynaming!
- What’s in a surname – do we still follow the tradition of changing our names
after marriage? - New year, new name – the 2006 list of the nation’s favourite names
- Stars in their eyes - 2007 produced some interesting names for celebrity
babies - Top 20 names of 2006 (Scotland) and for England and Wales.
- What’s in a name? In these modern times do we still follow the tradition
of taking our partner’s name after marriage?
