New data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) reveals that Noah and Freya are the most popular baby names in Scotland for 2025. Noah retained the top spot for boys with 318 births, while Freya overtook Olivia to become the leading girls' name with 268 registrations.
Noah first entered the top 10 boys' names in 2014 and reached number one in 2022. Freya, which ranked 578th in the 1970s, steadily climbed the charts, entering the top 100 in 2001 and the top 20 in 2010 before claiming the top spot this year.
The top 100 boys' names saw five names rise by 25 places or more, including Vinnie (up 70 places), Cooper, Ruaridh, Nico, and Joey. Among girls, 14 names rose by at least 25 places, such as Lilly, Matilda, Darcy, Margot, and Quinn.
Age-related trends emerged: Freya and Noah were most popular among mothers under 25, while Sophie and Alexander were favoured by mothers aged 40 and over. NRS statistician Anouska Pandya commented: “It is always exciting to see a name reach the number one spot for the first time. Freya has taken a long time to reach the top.”
