Choosing a baby name for your newborn is one of the most significant decisions parents have to make. Do you go for something tried and tested and risk them being one of three on the nursery register or do you attempt picking one that’s truly unique?
Whatever your selection method, the release of the UK’s most popular baby names could help. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed 2023’s most common options – and there have some changes at the top.
Muhammad has replaced Noah as the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, with Oliver taking the third spot. In 2022, Muhammad was the second most popular boys’ name and has been in the top 10 since 2016.
When it comes to monikers for baby girls Olivia remained the most popular name for the eighth year in a row, with Amelia and Isla the second and third most popular for girls.
For those mums and dads-to-be looking for names that are slightly less well-known, there were a few new entries to the top 100 baby names including Hazel, Lilah, Autumn, Nevaeh (Heaven spelt backwards) and Raya for girls. For boys Jax, Enzo and Bodhi made their first appearance in the most popular charts.
Pop culture continues to inspire, with music artists such as Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey both having an influence. Other musical artists’ names rising in popularity include Miley (Cyrus), and Rihanna for girls, and Kendrick and Elton for boys. Divisive picks from the Kardashian-Jenner family, including Reign and Saint, also put in an appearance.
The silver screen influenced the list, too. Following summer blockbuster films Barbie (starring Margot Robbie) and Oppenheimer (starring Cillian Murphy) in 2023, there were an additional 215 baby girls named Margot and 14 baby boys named Cillian, compared with the previous year.
Interestingly, and perhaps unsurprisingly, certain monikers proved more popular depending on the time of year. In December, for example, the festive names Holly, Robyn and Joseph spiked, whereas names such as Summer and Autumn were popular in their respective seasons. Poppy also proved to be most popular in November, likely because of the connection with poppies and Remembrance Day.
The days of the week also provided parents with some inspo with weekday names such as Sunday and Wednesday also increased in popularity. No doubt the moniker Wednesday was influenced by the hit Netflix series Wednesday starring Jenna Ortega.
Top baby girl names 2023
Top baby boy names 2023
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