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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Girls’ names used 50 times or fewer in 2016

62 replies

ABCFamily · 22/09/2017 10:47

I often see people looking for unusual names, so I’ve made up a list of girls’ names that were used 50 times or fewer in England & Wales last year. Not all of them are to my taste, but I thought it was interesting.

Aisling
Allegra
Althea
Aster
Audra
Bridget
Bronwen
Bryony
Cassandra
Cecile
Celeste
Claire
Cordelia
Corinne
Cosima
Dahlia
Damaris
Delphine
Demelza
Dorothea
Elara
Elowen
Estelle
Fiona
Georgiana
Hester
Imelda
Ingrid
Isolde
Jane
Jocelyn
Juliana
Juniper
Justine
Leonie
Lorna
Lucinda
Marianne
Marjorie
Maud
Melina
Miranda
Mona
Nadine
Nerissa
Noelle
Odette
Olympia
Opal
Oriana
Pascale
Ramona
Regina
Rhiannon
Romilly
Rosalind
Rosamund
Rowena
Sage
Sally
Samara
Sîan
Simone
Soraya
Sybil
Tamsin
Tansy
Thora
Ursula
Valerie
Vera
Viola
Willa
Winifred
Yasmina

The full data set can be found on the ONS Website. Boys’ list to follow.

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pipilangstrumpf · 22/09/2017 17:54

Raspberry, just think of how many girls there are then with top 20 names!

TheDowagerCuntess · 22/09/2017 17:40

What a refreshing list of names.

RaspberryIce · 22/09/2017 17:20

Dd is 13 and on the list and there is one other in her year and three further up the school. There is also a girl in her class with one of the names.

bridgetreilly · 22/09/2017 17:15

Wow. I knew Claire wasn't as popular as it used to be but I'm still surprised it's quite so low.

I'm keen to see a revival of Winifred, nn Freddy.

Original poster
ABCFamily · 22/09/2017 16:21

Smoliver - I really like Ailsa and Paloma from your list.

Elspeth - No, it isn't. There are absolutely loads (& loads!) of names with under 50 births, so I just picked a few.

OP posts:
ElspethTascioni · 22/09/2017 16:08

That isn't the full list of those used less than 50 times though, or DD's name would be there (used 28 times last year)

TheDodgyShoesOfDrFoster · 22/09/2017 16:06

Allegra
Althea
Aster
Audra

= All Amazing. Love them.

muttmad · 22/09/2017 16:05

My DD's names on there, I love it, but she's just started reception and is upset she can't have a colourful water bottle with her name on it like everyone else has in her class.
(Sold in the local super market with the most popular names printed in bright foam on them)
Apart from that though she loves her name Smile

DollyLlama · 22/09/2017 16:03

I'm pregnant with a boy right now, but was going to call the baby Ramona if he was a girl.

The name I've chosen is quite common so a bit gutted now waits for boys list

Thirtyrock39 · 22/09/2017 15:59

A lot of those names were hugely popular when I was at school there were countless Claires, janes and Georgina's. All lovely names
Bridget is really retro isn't it ? Though you'd think Bridget Jones might have brought it back into fashion

JoJoSM2 · 22/09/2017 15:57

A lot of them are really pretty!

NoArmaniNoPunani · 22/09/2017 15:55

I expect my son's name will be on the boy's list

IrregularCommentary · 22/09/2017 15:43

Dd's name is on there (born 2016). Deliberately went for an uncommon name, so obviously chose well!

PavoReal · 22/09/2017 15:33

Thank you ABCFamily, some really lovely names. I'd love to have stumbled across this when I was expecting. DD's name is on there, although her twin brother DS is now top 100 for the first time.

Original poster
ABCFamily · 22/09/2017 14:23

I realised that I didn't take the Clare spelling into consideration, so I just checked it. Even when the data for the different spellings were combined, only 48 girls were called Claire/Clare. Bryony/Briony was similar at 49 girls when combined.

ItsNice - I was also surprised that Viola was so underused, considering the popularity of Violet, and celebrity namesake Viola Davis (not to mention the literary and musical connections). I think it's a really pretty name too.

meglet - yes, I think Olympia was the baby's middle name. Wonder if that will give it a boost in popularity?

OP posts:
Smoliver · 22/09/2017 13:58

Ailsa
Amethyst
Annaliese
Arabelle (which is odd when you see arabella at no. 90 on the list)
Azalea
Celestia
Celia
Clarissa
Clover
Cressida
Dawn
Dorothea
Emerald
Esmeralda
Fauna
Fawn
Gwendolyn
Hebe
Honor
Honora
Jane
Joyce
Kathleen
Leonora
Marigold
Maude
Minerva
Mirabelle
Miranda
Opal
Paloma
Priscilla
Tova
Tuva
Wendy
Winifred

EduCated · 22/09/2017 13:55

Really surprised by some of those - I would have guessed Bryony and Romilly to be much higher!

RaspberryIce · 22/09/2017 13:52

Some lovely ones on there. My favourites are

Claire
Corinne
Dahlia
Delphine
Elara
Estelle
Georgiana
Jane
Juliana
Juniper
Justine
Leonie
Marianne
Marjorie
Miranda
Opal
Tansy
Viola

sunshinestorm · 22/09/2017 13:46

Love Juniper and Elowen! There's some pretty names in there.

Ionarocks · 22/09/2017 13:44

Really surprised about some of them. I love Bryony and Valerie and know a little Marianne. I know of a baby Claire born in America so might be making a comeback there.

pipilangstrumpf · 22/09/2017 13:26

They’re almost all beautiful and SO much more interesting than the popular top 10 names!

starkid · 22/09/2017 13:05

So many lovely names on here!
Mine's there, I'm waiting for someone to comment on it haha

CiderwithBuda · 22/09/2017 12:44

My name is on there. And my niece. And a fair few friends my age. I'm 53.

There are some lovely names on there due a revival.

MyBootsAreMuddy · 22/09/2017 12:39

There are some fantastic names there, I'm surprised some are not more popular.

queenofthedump · 22/09/2017 12:39

I love loads of these! Just got to get dh to agree on something now which might be more of a challenge!

Names currently on my list are:
Allegra
Juniper
Noelle
Opal
Ramona
Sally
Tansy