Sophia and Alexander Are Our Borough's Favourite Baby Names

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New analysis shows most popular choices across the country in 2017

The most popular names for babies born in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in 2017 were Alexander and Sophia.

In our neighbouring borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Alexander also came top but the favourite name for girls was Isabella, while on our western side, Olivia came top for girls while Muhammad was the favourite for boys and south of the river in Wandsworth, parents also favoured Sophia for girls but Arthur came out top for boys.

These local details are included in the fascinating new analysis by the Office for National Statistics, or ONS which shows how names given to babies differ across the country - and even across local boundaries.

The ONS reveals that last year, there were 679,106 live births, with babies being given 63,697 distinct names and with just 73 unique names ranking first across 347 local areas.

The top 10 boys’ names nationally were given to 13% of all boys born last year, whereas the top 10 girls’ names were given to 10% of girls. Since there are so many different names given to babies, even the most popular names are only given to a relatively small proportion of all babies named overall.

Oliver remained the most popular first name given to baby boys in England and Wales in 2017, a position held since 2013, while royal names Harry and George have remained in second and third places since 2016.

Olivia remained the most popular first name given to baby girls in 2017, a position held since 201 while Amelia remained in second place and Isla moved up to third.

Leo replaced Thomas in the top 10 for boys, whilst Hunter and Ralph replaced Aaron and Jasper in the top 100 in 2017.

Poppy replaced Jessica in the top 10 for girls, whilst Aurora, Orla, Edith, Bonnie, Lyla and Hallie replaced Lexi, Zoe, Maddison, Sarah, Felicity and Lydia in the top 100 in 2017.

Most of the top 10 baby names of 2007 have declined in popularity, with the names Thomas, Daniel, Ruby, Grace, Jessica and Chloe all given to at least 50% fewer babies in 2017 than they were 10 years previously.

Regionally, Olivia was the most popular name for baby girls throughout England and in Wales in 2017, but for baby boys, Oliver was beaten by Muhammad in London, the West Midlands, and Yorkshire and The Humber, with Harry the most popular name in the North East.

Nick Stripe, Vital Statistics Outputs Branch, Office for National Statistics said: "Although Oliver and Olivia remained the most popular baby names in 2017, some fascinating changes took place beneath them.

" Leo entered the boys’ top 10 for the first time, whilst Hunter rocketed into the top 100, also for the first time, reaching number 78.

"Sarah, the most popular name for baby girls throughout much of the 1970s and 1980s, dropped out of the top 100 for the first time since our records began in 1904. Brand new entries into the top 100 for girls include the names Aurora and Hallie."

 

October 1, 2018

 

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