Whether you’re looking to keep up with the trends when it comes to selecting a baby name or wondering exactly which common names to avoid, it’s always fun to look at the list of top baby names around the world. Although timeless popular names tend to hold strong (Oliver and Olivia have held top-five positions for the fifth year in a row), it’s interesting to see which names make a sudden jump in popularity, and understand how the influence of pop culture is displayed in the uptick of certain baby names.
And the U.K. isn’t an exception. Based on the top baby names of 2021 provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), royal names and celebrity names were repeatedly seen across the top 100 names, giving insight into the power of society and pop culture. Let’s dive a bit deeper into some of the overarching trends we’ve spotted when it comes to 2021 U.K. top baby names.
The U.K. seems to be communicating the message of “God save the Queen” based on the amount of royal-influenced names that have made the top baby names list. For one, it comes as no coincidence that one of the top girl names in 2021—Lily—coincides with the 2021 announcement from Harry and Meghan that their daughter would be named Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbattern-Windsor. Although Lily has been a popular name choice for the last decade or so, it now comes at the top of the chart for baby girl names.
Archie, the name that Harry and Meghan chose for their son, also increased in popularity. Similarly, George, which became popular after Prince William and Kate Middleton chose the name for their son, still retains popularity by holding strong as a top-five boy's name. On the other hand, the name Harry moved down three places to come in at spot #8.
Rounding out the royal-inspired names, Arthur, Noah, and Charlie (or Charles) can be found on the top boy’s name list.
Perhaps one of the funniest influences of 2021 comes from the popular Netflix show Sex Education, which features two characters named Otis and Maeve. Both of these names have risen in popularity. Otis, for example, rose 28 places from 2019, and Maeve became the largest new entry into the top 100 girls’ names, rising 124 places since 2019.
Curious about how other celebrities have impacted the list of baby names? The name Margot has continued climbing the girls’ name list since actress Margot Robbie was featured in the film The Wolf of Wall Street.
Additionally, a number of fictional princess names, such as Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine from Aladdin, and Anna from Frozen are growing in popularity.
