How to choose a baby name beginning with A
If you’re happy following baby naming trends and want to choose a popular name, look for inspo on the lists of the 100 top baby names for boys and girls. The latest lists for England and Wales were released in May 2024 by ONS. You could also take a look at the Central Statistics Office and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency for Ireland and the National Records of Scotland for Scottish names. All these lists contain the most popular names, including the most chosen names with the initial A.
If you want to go more unusual, it’s still a good idea to look at the top 100 lists so that you can choose a name further down the lists or one which doesn’t appear.
Check out Mumsnet’s baby names content for reference, such as most popular baby names, top baby boy names and top baby girl names.
You could also look at A names popular elsewhere in the world, such as the top French baby names.
Take a look at the Mumsnet Baby Names forum to find out which A names are beloved by parents. You could even start your own thread to ask for suggestions.
Combine two naming trends in one. Initial A names are cool right now and so are shorter names. Sometimes these two trends collide. Hello there, Ava, Ada, Anna, Arlo, Albie and Alfie.
Think about initial A names which also end in A, such as Ava, Ada and Anna, which all sound lovely and melodic when spoken aloud.
Check that your preferred first name works well with the middle name you like, and of course with your surname - and make sure the initials don’t spell anything unfortunate.
What is a unique name that starts with an A?
There are lots of popular, well-used names beginning with A but if you’re looking for something less frequently used, it’s best to look for names outside the top 100 baby name lists.
For girls, how about Anya? It’s safely outside the top 100, while still riding the cool, shorter names trend. One Mumsnetter highly recommends the name Anya, saying: “That's my daughter's name. Not too common, and not too out there/ pretentious, and pretty universal if she goes abroad. It suits her, she's a sassy, funny, sporty nine-year-old.”
For boys, we think Angelo is nicely unusual (well outside the ONS top 100) without being difficult to pronounce. “I think Angelo is fabulous. I find it gives really manly vibes and I imagine a dark haired little boy suiting the name,” says Mumsnetter RunningGearOn. Also - if this sort of thing matters to you - Angelo has the celebrity seal of approval, having been chosen by superstar songstress Adele (who also has a gorgeous A name!) for her son, born in 2012.
About the author
Louise Baty writes parenting content for Mumsnet, producing product round-ups, travel guides and baby name articles. She’s also written content for Mumsnet’s sister site, Gransnet.
Originally from West Yorkshire and now based in Nottinghamshire, Louise has worked as a features writer for consumer magazines and national newspapers for 20 years. She specialises in parenting and lifestyle features and emotional true life first-person interviews and has authored four non-fiction books on parenting and grandparenting.
Mum to two tweenagers, Louise’s own baby name choosing days may be long gone. However, she admits to having spent a LONG time deciding on her DCs’ names, together with her DP.
For this reason, Louise has a particular interest in baby names. She understands how difficult it can be to narrow down a short list from your long list of baby names, either during pregnancy or during the sleep-deprived days following the birth of your baby. By compiling comprehensive and easy-to-follow baby name round-ups for Mumsnet, she hopes to provide inspiration and support to parents-to-be who are looking for the perfect name for their baby.