The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released the UK's most popular baby names, based on birth registrations from last year. Olivia retains its position as the most favoured name for girls, with Lily and Amelia following closely behind. Muhammad has claimed the top spot for boys for the third consecutive year.
New entries in the top 100
While the top 10 largely mirrors previous years, a number of new names have broken into the top 100, among them several "old-fashioned" choices, reflecting a notable shift in naming trends. New entries for baby girls include Marnie, Eliana, Gracie, Anaya, Alba, Lilah, and Frankie, while for boys, Vincent, Carter, Stanley, and Ruben have all made their top 100 debuts.
Marnie, originally a shortened form of Margaret, first rose to prominence in 1964 following Alfred Hitchcock's film of the same name. Regarded as a vintage and retro choice, growing numbers of parents across the UK are now opting for the nostalgic moniker for their newborns.
Mumsnet reactions
Mothers took to the popular parenting forum Mumsnet to voice their opinions, with one commenting: "It's a nice choice, but if it was me, I would use Marina, Maren, Maria, Margaret, and use Marnie as the nickname." Margaret has been in use since the Middle Ages and stood as the most popular girl's name in England during both the 1920s and 1940s, reports the Express.
Further comments touched on its traditional roots, with many mothers suggesting Margaret sounds decidedly old-fashioned. One mum remarked: "I had always thought it was an old lady name - every old lady seems to be called Margaret." A further commenter wrote: "My nana is called Margaret too, and I'd love to use her name for a little girl. For me, it's a bit too old-fashioned, but I'd use Maggie or Peggy."
Top 10 lists
Top 10 boy's names: Muhammad, Noah, Leo, Luca, Arthur, Oliver, George, Oscar, Theodore, Freddie. Top 10 girl's names: Olivia, Lily, Amelia, Isla, Florence, Freya, Poppy, Elsie, Ivy, Isabella.
