most over-popular names of 2012 and 2013

[photographerlady]

I do not mean this in a bad way but anyone hear the same names over and over and over the last couple of years?

Mines are:

Jayden - had 8 clients so far this year with that name
Ellie
Eva
Imogen
George
Girl names ending in Lee, Lea, Leigh

[myfirstkitchen]

I've got an unusual name (for here). Not made up, it's Russian.

Growing up I really hated having an unusual name. Other children used to say it was weird (charming) and I was always upset that I couldn't get my name on a pencil case/keyring/stick of rock in souvenir shops. And even as an adult, although I like if now I am constantly spelling it out, getting it spelt wrong and pronounced wrong.

So picking an unusual name might not make your child happy about it anyway!

[essexgirl31]

My DS has 2 Teddys, 2 Finlays, 2 Albies, 2 Jamies, and 2 Tillys in his class!

[drizzlecake]

Has anyone published research on baby names and how they come into favour?

I mean when did Noah become popular. I mean he was in teh bible for hundreds of years and fewer people are going to church so why the craze now?

It was the same when my DCs were small which was before the babyjname lists came out regularly, names just came in and out of fashion for no apparent reason.

[vamosbebe]

14mo DS is Oscar, didn't know it was do popular in UK, we're in Spain and wanted something international and easy for everyone to spell!

Our list included: Felix, Ruben (after a dear friend), Barny/Barnaby

I really wanted Augustine (Auggie) but we chickened out!

My ( Spanish) brother in law has five: Marc, Sofia, Issac, Sara, Ana also iinternational-ish and popular UK mames.

[spudmurphy]

Varya those names are more unusual (well less common) than most on this thread.
I love Aurelie, but it would be thought so pretentious in my area.

[petitdonkey]

drizzlecake - there is a book called Freakonomics which has an interesting chapter on baby naming and social class - this article explores some of the key points.

I have an Ava (aged 6) and am always slightly dismayed that it has become 'common' or passé - I still love the name and it suits her beautifully. My reason for choosing it was a combination of Ava Gardner (I also had Sophia on my list and flirted with Audrey - can you see a pattern??) and I taught a gorgeous Ava years ago (she would be in her twenties now).

If it's at all relevant - she attends an independent school and, for now, is the only Ava there. There is also a Jayden in her class who is delightful.

As a final point regarding the horror with which Mumsnet sometimes regards 'popular' names - my name was in the top ten throughout the 70s and I still love it now, it's classic and I don't know another. (I have, of course, met lots of others but as an example, we had a party for 100 people last summer and I was the only girl with my name)

[DizzyHoneyBee]

According to the ONS, these are the most popular by region in England and Wales for girls. Boys to follow, and Scotland/NI

North East

LILY
AVA
OLIVIA
AMELIA
GRACE
SOPHIE
JESSICA
EMILY
EVIE
LUCY

North West
OLIVIA
AMELIA
AVA
LILY
JESSICA
GRACE
RUBY
EMILY
MIA
SOPHIE

Yorks and Humber
OLIVIA
AMELIA
LILY
RUBY
EVIE
EMILY
AVA
SOPHIE
GRACE
JESSICA

East midlands
AMELIA
OLIVIA
LILY
EVIE
SOPHIE
JESSICA
RUBY
EMILY
AVA
GRACE

west midlands
AMELIA
OLIVIA
LILY
RUBY
SOPHIE
JESSICA
EVIE
GRACE
AVA
CHLOE

East
LILY
AMELIA
OLIVIA
EMILY
JESSICA
SOPHIE
ISABELLA
CHLOE
RUBY
MIA

London
ISABELLA
OLIVIA
AMELIA
SOPHIA
LILY
EMILY
MIA
SOPHIE
JESSICA
CHLOE

South East
LILY
AMELIA
OLIVIA
JESSICA
EMILY
SOPHIE
CHLOE
GRACE
ISABELLA
ISLA

South west
LILY
AMELIA
OLIVIA
RUBY
EMILY
CHLOE
SOPHIE
JESSICA
POPPY
GRACE

Wales
LILY
AMELIA
AVA
RUBY
OLIVIA
SEREN
EMILY
ELLA
MIA
MEGAN

[DizzyHoneyBee]

boys names by region
North East
JACK
HARRY
OLIVER
CHARLIE
JAMES
ALFIE
THOMAS
JOSHUA
JACOB
DANIEL

North West
HARRY
JACK
OLIVER
ALFIE
THOMAS
JAMES
CHARLIE
JACOB
ETHAN
JOSHUA

Yorks and Humber
HARRY
JACK
OLIVER
ALFIE
CHARLIE
JACOB
MOHAMMED
THOMAS
MUHAMMAD
RILEY

East Midlands
HARRY
JACK
OLIVER
CHARLIE
ALFIE
JACOB
THOMAS
ETHAN
WILLIAM
RILEY

West Midlands
HARRY
MOHAMMED
JACK
OLIVER
ALFIE
JACOB
CHARLIE
MUHAMMAD
JOSHUA
ETHAN

East
HARRY
OLIVER
JACK
CHARLIE
ALFIE
GEORGE
THOMAS
JOSHUA
JAMES
WILLIAM

London
DANIEL
OLIVER
MUHAMMAD
JAMES
THOMAS
HARRY
JOSHUA
MOHAMMED
ALEXANDER
SAMUEL

South East
HARRY
OLIVER
JACK
CHARLIE
GEORGE
THOMAS
JAMES
ALFIE
WILLIAM
JOSHUA

South West
HARRY
OLIVER
JACK
JACOB
ALFIE
CHARLIE
WILLIAM
THOMAS
GEORGE
JAMES

Wales
OLIVER
JACK
JACOB
RILEY
ETHAN
ALFIE
HARRY
DYLAN
THOMAS
CHARLIE

[BalloonSlayer]

arf at "a flood of Noahs"

[cocoachannel]

SW London -

Variations on Isabelle, Ella, and surprisingly Greta & Lola

Lots of Edwards (four sets of friends have DSs under two called Edward), Oliver, Arthur, Sebastian

[LittleAbruzzenBear]

I was born in mid-70's and my name, although classic, was not common, ditto the 80's, 90's.....and even now. I don't know anyone with my name and from birth people have said it incorrectly. It is not an odd name, but people seem to struggle with it. . However, when I go to any other country in Europe people pronounce it correctly immediately and it is a well-liked name. I like my name, but I hate that people seem incapable of getting it right. It really gave me food for thought when naming my two DSs.

[Housemum]

I thought that we were well past the film popularity when we named our Amélie, and it was floating around in the 60s in the names list - went to a small village toddler group and there were 3 Amélies out of the 15 children in the room, and in her current swimming class there are 2 of them out of the 6 kids in the class (and this girl is not one from the toddler group!)

[SecondhandRose]

I keep hearing of baby Riley's for either boys or girls. Latest baby girl I know about is called Isabelle.

Nothing wrong with popular names, mine was a popular name in the 40's and 50's and not in the 60's when I was born. I don't even use it now.

[Supershiv1]

I love my name, even though it's Irish and some people really struggle spelling or pronouncing it. I always loved it even when I was really young and would love to find something similar for DC1 but nothing floats my baot and will prob end up going for a 'popular' one as they are the names I like.
My name is Siobhan. Any suggestions????
I don't know if boy or girl yet though!

[ChildOfThe1980s]

I like Seamus and Sian. :)

[NowPlayingZone]

Girls:Isabelle/a, Isla, Matilda & Emily.

Boys: Oliver, Alfie & Charlie.

[HoneyandRum]

In my travels dragging kids thru school and life in three nations (UK US & Germany) there are some names that are popular everywhere.

Lily (Germans are especially bonkers for it)
Amelie/Ava/ Eva (variations on a theme)
Maya, Mya, Myra, Mia

Noah (major name especially in Germany pronounced Noo-ah)
Tyler/Ty - US/UK

[mayanna123]

Lily/Milly/Evie/Ellie/Sophie/Poppy/Izzy/Emily
Alfie/Archie/Finley/Charlie/Jack/Tom/Ollie/Ben

are all VERY widely used around here.

[blushingm]

Corey - there's 4 in dds class, 1 in ds class and 2 friends have just used it too

[BumsyClugger]

Nearlymumofone, I have a Lyla Rose who is 20 months. I hadn't heard of any other babies with that name before she was born, and then I heard of another baby the same age as DD called Lyla Rose, and another born last year called Lilah. And every baby girl born lately is something-Rose But it's not made up, it is an actual name

Round here it is full of baby boys called Alfie, Archie or Mason. Girls are a bit more varied, though lots of Lola's, Lacey's and Lexi's.

[zenoushka]

Here in North London I know LOADS of children called:

Amelia

Evie

Ella

Florence

Isla

Sophia

Isabella

Ava

Lily

George

Henry

Oliver

Max

Finlay

[zenoushka]

Went to a birthday lunch for a 2-year old today and came across 4 little girls called Florence!

[iheartmycat]

Girls here seem to all be Eva, Sophia, Ellie or Olivia.

Boys are Alfie, Owen, Tyler, Leo or Kayden

[3boysgirlontheway]

We have recently moved to Australia and everyone is amazed that DD is called Florence, most have never met another.
We have met lots of Little girls called:
Amelia
Matilda
Milly
Tilly
Lily

Boys called:
Harrison
Cooper
Joshua
Jacob
Cooper
Lachlan

[3boysgirlontheway]

A couple of more I forgot earlier, being at the park has jogged my memory.
Boys
Aidan
Oscar
Liam

Girls
Harmony
Blossom
Willow (lots and lots)