As the new year begins, many expectant parents are compiling lists of potential baby names. However, some once-popular choices are disappearing from the top 100, according to the latest BabyCentre data.
Among girls' names, Nova and Lilly (with double L) have dropped out of the top 100 entirely. Nova, which ranked 94th in 2023, has now vanished from the charts. The spelling 'Lilly' has wilted, while 'Lily' continues to bloom. On the boys' side, the longtime favourite Jason has plummeted and is no longer in the top 100.
Meanwhile, new names are entering the list. Margot and Gabriella have made their top 100 debut for girls, landing at 88 and 99 respectively. Surname-inspired names like Hunter and Harrison are rising for boys, and names ending in 'a' remain popular for girls, with almost half of the top 100 girls' names ending in that letter.
Faye Mingo, Chief Marketing Officer at BabyCentre, commented: 'The top names for both boys and girls have remained largely consistent with last year’s picks, but a few notable trends have emerged. Surname-inspired names for boys like Hunter and Harrison are on the rise, and there’s a trend of girls' names ending in 'a,' like favourites Olivia and Amelia.'
The data also shows a trend of both short and long versions of classic names gaining popularity. For example, Theodore, Theo, and Teddy are all top choices, as are Thomas and Tommy, and Oliver and Ollie. Creative spellings are also on the rise, with Sophia and Sofia both flourishing, and Muhammad joined by Mohammad and Mohammed in the top 100.
