Name Nerds: Assemble! ONS Baby Names 2016 predictions

[ZoyaTheDestroyer]

Although I can't find an exact publication date, the ONS name data for 2016 is due to be published soon.

Chime in here with your predictions for the climbers and those that will fall.

I think these will rise...

Teddy
Reuben
Toby
Arlo
Ezra
Theo
Jasper
Casper
Finn
Milo

Ivy
Thea
Clara
Aria
Luna
Mila
Violet

I'm being silly, but I don't understand the combined spelling thing? So say a name is ranked 100, but higher in brackets, what does that exactly mean?

early Are you looking at the name Zoe as an example? The number in brackets is its rank in the official ONS statistics. Zoe is lower down in the BBN combined spellings because other names have pushed it further down. For example, Lily is no 13 in the ONS stats but once you combine Lily with every Lillie and Lilly AND with all of the double-barrelled Lily-May, Lily-Mae, Lily-Rose etc it jumps to no 2 and pushes other names down. Maya and Darcey also make very big gains once you combine the alternative spellings.

I'm predicting gains for:

Boys - Freddie, Theo, Elliot/Elliott, Lewis, Oliver

Girls - Aria, Isla, Beatrix

Exactly! Thanks for explaining that. Which do you think is a more accurate representation of popularity? I guess with the example of Zoe, is it that Zoe, spelt like that, is the 83rd most popular girls' name? Would you have to look at the top 1000 to see how popular the other spellings are?

I'm also interested in how they decide a name is an alternative spelling- obviously for things like Zoe/Zoey lily/Lilly it's obvious, but there must be 'names' parents think of which aren't variants of a name if that makes sense?!

Where can you find the combined spelling list please?

Linked above, Mamma.

Ah great, thank you!
Another one that I think will have gone up is Ivy

Going up,
Clara
Margot (I have heard of loads)
Violet
Ada/Ida
Ivy
Imogen

Archie
Alfie
Noah
Laurence
issac

Deffo Ivy. It's everywhere!

I predict gains for:

Monty
Louis
Hamish
Angus
Archie

Ivy
Clara
Imogen

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Clara will not be a significant mover. Whilst it seems to be the approved Mumsnet name I don't know of any in the real world.

Possibly of interest - the NRS list for babies born in Scotland in 2016 came out in December.

Scottish Top Ten 2016:

Boys

1. Jack
2. James
3. Oliver
4. Lewis
5. Logan
6. Harry
7. Noah
8. Leo
9. Charlie

10. Alexander

Girls

1. Olivia
2. Emily
3. Sophie
4. Isla
5. Ava
6. Amelia
7. Jessica
8. Ella
9. Lucy

10. Charlotte

The annual Daily Mail 'Mohammed is the most common baby name for boy's in England'. articles are no doubt being dusted down.

Every new boy I hear of now is called Teddy but as has been said many of them are officially Edwards or Theodores.

Loads of Teds, Matilda's, Florence's. Daisy's, Poppy's, Milas.

Just talking to dh about this list tonight and wondering how many Game of Thrones names would be on there.
I do love looking for the slightly "bonkers" names and they do make me smile.

Dd was only one of 13 named her name the year she was born (2011) so I like to keep an eye on where that name is.

Oh...biggest climbers:-

Girl - Violet
Boy - Isaac

I think two rising trends will be biblical names for boys: Ezra, Elijah, Isaac, Jude, Caleb, etc and granny chic names: Arthur, Ivy, Iris, Violet.

Haven't the granny and grandad names peaked at this stage?

I think Edward and Evie will be big climbers

If mumsnet is to be believed the top climbers will be verity, romilly, ottilie, ariadne and clara for girls; Christopher (kit), Hamish, Theodore, Gabriel and monty for boys

HENRY! Henries are evvvvvvverywherrrrrrrrre! Surprised it wasn't top 10 in 2015 as that's when DS was born and we know tons of Henrys the same age.

I never know re. girls, there is such variety round here. Surprised Jessica is top 10! Love that name though.

Which do we think will be more popular, Edward or Arthur?

Tricky as there are Arthurs everywhere but Edward could be on the BC for the thousands of Teddys running around.

I'm going Edward.

Arthur was no 37 in 2015, whilst Edward was no 26, so I think it's unlikely that Arthur will overtake. It may well close the gap, though!

Teddy is everywhere but I agree it will be split between Teddy/Theodore/Edward.
Amelia to stay no 1. DS was born in 2016 and in every baby class she we've been to there was an Amelia.