Classic baby names from a century ago are experiencing a revival, according to new research that shows many traditional choices remain popular in England and Wales. The analysis, conducted by Autism Parenting Magazine, compared the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) baby names data for 2025 with the top 100 names from 1924.
The findings reveal that Arthur and Lily are the most popular vintage names for boys and girls, respectively. Other timeless choices like George, Florence, and Elsie also feature prominently in the current rankings.
Popular Vintage Boys' Names
Arthur tops the list for boys, with 3,211 births in 2025, followed by George and Henry. The top ten also includes Harry, Mohammed, Jack, William, Edward, Thomas, and Alexander.
- Arthur — 3,211 births
- George — 3,082 births
- Henry — 2,295 births
- Harry — 1,718 births
- Mohammed — 1,712 births
- Jack — 1,595 births
- William — 1,456 births
- Edward — 1,385 births
- Thomas — 1,344 births
- Alexander — 1,271 births
Other notable names include James, Frederick, Albert, Joseph, Benjamin, Daniel, Samuel, David, Alfred, Michael, Vincent, Ralph, and Stanley.
Popular Vintage Girls' Names
For girls, Lily was the clear favourite, with more than 2,200 girls given the name in 2025. Florence, Elsie, and Ivy follow closely behind.
- Lily — 2,249 births
- Florence — 1,924 births
- Elsie — 1,700 births
- Ivy — 1,698 births
- Evelyn — 1,560 births
- Mabel — 1,527 births
- Daisy — 1,454 births
- Grace — 1,309 births
- Violet — 1,061 births
- Ruby — 1,032 births
Other vintage favourites include Ada, Emily, Olive, Alice, Eleanor, Iris, Eva, Rose, Hazel, Elizabeth, Nora, Nancy, and Maria.
Timeless Appeal
Mark Blakey, CEO of Autism Parenting Magazine, commented: "It is clear there are so many timeless options expecting parents could opt for when choosing to name their child, and it appears that long-standing names are favoured widely."
He added: "What stands out is that names like Mabel or Iris, which many would associate with a bygone era, are now being chosen by hundreds of new parents each year."
"Many may gain inspiration from older relatives that they wish to honour, or they may be inspired by historical figures or their favourite characters on screen or in literature."
"The fact that almost a quarter of the most popular names from a century ago remain among the favoured choices is fascinating, highlighting their strong appeal through generations and perhaps generations to come."
The research also found that Elizabeth is the only girls' name to have appeared in the top 100 in every ONS list available at 10-year intervals from 1904 to 2025.
