New Office for National Statistics (ONS) baby name figures, examined by JoJo Maman Bébé, reveal which mythology-inspired names are winning favour with modern parents. Penelope, Athena, and Atlas are among the top choices, with some ancient names proving incredibly popular.
Top Mythological Names for Girls
The analysis shows Penelope, the famously faithful wife of Odysseus, as the top mythological choice, with 1,174 newborns given the name in 2025. Athena, goddess of wisdom, courage, and warfare, follows with 519 babies, while Rhea, Persephone, and Gaia round out the top five.
Top Mythological Names for Boys
Atlas, the Titan condemned to carry the weight of the heavens, leads the boys' list with 355 babies named in 2025. Ares, Apollo, Artemis, and Perseus also feature prominently, with Apollo (39 babies) and Perseus (eight babies) offering more distinctive options.
Rising Trends in Baby Naming
Anne Varsanyi, head of buying at JoJo Maman Bébé, said: "Choosing a baby's name is one of the first opportunities parents have to express something about their family, whether that's honouring tradition, celebrating heritage or simply choosing a name they love." She added: "What's particularly fascinating about this year's data is seeing how quickly tastes can change."
The analysis looked at 2025's most popular names, those showing the biggest rises since 1996, and those suffering the steepest drops over the same period. Figures were drawn from the ONS Baby Names release, which came out on July 9, 2026.
