As we enter a new year, many parents-to-be will be eagerly drawing up lists of names with plenty of fashionable monikers to choose from. However, there are a few once-popular names which you likely won’t see as the 2025 birth announcements begin.
The latest list of the top 100 baby names for boys and girls has been released, and – although longtime favourites Olivia and Muhammad still dominate the top positions – there are certainly a few surprises in store.
According to the latest BabyCentre data, the charming classics Margot and Gabriella have made their girls’ top 100 debut, landing at 88 and 99, bringing a touch of sophistication to the list. But while new top choices rise, we’ve also seen others fall.
‘I picked classic name for my daughter – but people say there’s glaring problem’
There have been a few surprises in store this year (Stock Photo)
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Image:
Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Much like its celestial meaning, the formerly on-trend Nova soared as a star on the rise in 2023, twinkling at spot number 94. However, it’s now blinked out of the charts, for now at least, having dropped out of the top 100 altogether.
The lovely Lilly, a sweet choice for generations, has also suffered the same fate. While the Lily spelling continues to bloom, the double L spelling has now wilted. Over on the boys’ side, longtime top 100 choice Jason has plummeted and is nowhere to be seen on this year’s list.
Faye Mingo, Chief Marketing Officer at BabyCentre, said: “The top names for both boys and girls have remained largely consistent with last year’s picks, but a few notable trends have emerged. Surname-inspired names for boys like Hunter and Harrison are on the rise, and there’s a trend of girls’ names ending in ‘a,’ like favourites Olivia and Amelia.
“It’s clear that while parents are embracing some fresh twists, the classic choices still hold strong, and parents are looking for a name with timeless appeal.” It comes after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released its annual figures for the most popular baby names in England and Wales last week.
A number of intriguing trends have been noted this time around. For example, almost half of this year’s top 100 girls’ names end with an ‘A’, including some of the list’s most significant climbers, such as Emma (Up by 13 places to 76) and Ariella (Up by 13 places to 84).
Meanwhile, boy parents are continuing to embrace strong surname options as first names for their sons, with bold American-inspired choices such as Hunter, Hudson, Mason, Harrison, and Logan bringing a lively, contemporary energy to the charts.
Creative spellings have added some interesting twists to this year’s list, with Sophia and Sofia continuing to flourish alongside one another. This reigning top name for boys, Muhammad, is also joined by two other spelling top 100 variations – Mohammad and Mohammed.
A simultaneous spurt in both short and long versions of classic names has also been noted. For example, Theodore, Theo, and Teddy are all considered top choices, as both formal full names and more relaxed nicknames enjoy a popularity boost.
This is evident with steady Thomas, up one place at 25, and playful Tommy, at spot number 27. Sophisticated Oliver (number five) and laid-back Ollie (number 80) also follow this distinct pattern.
Top 100 girls’ names
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Lily
- Isla
- Ava
- Grace
- Sophia
- Freya
- Ivy
- Willow
- Mia
- Isabella
- Daisy
- Elsie
- Evie
- Florence
- Luna
- Sienna
- Sofia
- Ella
- Emily
- Phoebe
- Evelyn
- Poppy
- Aurora
- Aria
- Charlotte
- Rosie
- Harper
- Maya
- Layla
- Millie
- Maryam
- Maisie
- Hallie
- Mila
- Sophie
- Eliana
- Fatima
- Jasmine
- Lottie
- Bonnie
- Eva
- Matilda
- Ayla
- Emilia
- Violet
- Zara
- Zoe
- Alice
- Chloe
- Maeve
- Ada
- Ruby
- Sarah
- Ellie
- Arabella
- Isabelle
- Hannah
- Mabel
- Robyn
- Delilah
- Hazel
- Eleanor
- Erin
- Maria
- Rose
- Bella
- Thea
- Penelope
- Princess
- Esme
- Nur
- Imogen
- Eden
- Emma
- Olive
- Scarlett
- Aisha
- Lyra
- Orla
- Gianna
- Abigail
- Ariella
- Clara
- Anaya
- Lara
- Margot
- Myla
- Ophelia
- Talia
- Kiara
- Iris
- Amelie
- Lucy
- Nora
- Raya
- Zahra
- Gabriella
- Summer
Top 100 boys’ names
- Muhammad
- Noah
- Theo
- Leo
- Oliver
- Arthur
- George
- Luca
- Freddie
- Jack
- Ethan
- Charlie
- Henry
- Oscar
- Archie
- Jude
- Alfie
- Lucas
- Liam
- Elijah
- Jacob
- James
- Arlo
- Teddy
- Thomas
- Ezra
- Tommy
- Harry
- Joshua
- Isaac
- Max
- Adam
- Finley
- Nathan
- David
- Rory
- Albie
- Theodore
- Jayden
- Alexander
- Sebastian
- Daniel
- Dylan
- Reuben
- Roman
- Aiden
- Mohammad
- Logan
- Mohammed
- Caleb
- Harrison
- Mason
- Ryan
- William
- Ali
- Hudson
- Gabriel
- Hugo
- Louis
- Kai
- Michael
- Asher
- Louie
- Jaxon
- Oakley
- Jesse
- Samuel
- Rowan
- Joseph
- Zion
- Alex
- Benjamin
- Luke
- Hunter
- Reggie
- Ibrahim
- Edward
- Zachary
- Abdul
- Ollie
- Musa
- Abdullah
- Cody
- Myles
- Ronnie
- Levi
- Yusuf
- Matthew
- Toby
- Frankie
- Austin
- Finn
- Omar
- Zayn
- Elliot
- Grayson
- Ahmed
- Hamza
- Sonny
- Albert
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com
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