Girls’ names used 50 times or fewer in 2016

[ABCFamily]

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.

Kelly. Scotland record's its own BMD so presumably has its own ONS. Try googling it. Or you might find info or a link to current info on the 'Scotland's People' website.

Allegra
Cassandra
Dorothea
Elowen
Fiona

All beautiful!

Althea and Tansy are wonderful.

Ingrid and Cordelia are lovely names

I was a bit surprised to find (using the BBC whatchamecallit) that 3 girls were called William in 2016. Is this likely to become a thing do you think?

I know 2 Allegras! Had t realised that was rare. 1 is early 20s, the other is 2.

I like:

Aisling
Allegra
Cecile
Celeste
Cordelia
Cosima
Dahlia
Delphine
Estelle
Georgiana
Hester
Ingrid
Isolde
Juliana
Juniper
Justine
Lorna
Lucinda
Marianne
Melina
Miranda
Nadine
Nerissa
Olympia
Oriana
Pascale
Rhiannon
Romilly
Sage
Sîan
Soraya
Viola

We had Celeste and Cecile on our shortlist but then DP pointed out that they probably weren't great options as I have a lisp

It's strange to see what a difference a couple of letters can make to a name's popularity really.

I quite like the name Anthea...Anthea was only given to 3 babies, in 2016 - Yet, Thea was given 1132 times!

Yes. Like the difference in popularity between Ryan and Bryan, Harry and Barry.

B names are v unfashionable atm

The biggest surprise for me is that Bryony is on the list - it doesn't seem long since it was rather fashionable!

My favourites are:

Bridget
Bronwen
Bryony (I think I must like the Br- sound!)
Corinne
Damaris
Delphine (always loved this one for some reason)
Jane
Justine (all the Justines I knew of about my age were enviably cool and stylish!)
Pascale (I kind of like but it sounds very French)
Romilly
Rosalind
Rosamund
Rowena
Simone
Tamsin (LOVE this one!)
Valerie (kinda... dated but nice as a collection of sounds)

Some very lovely names on that list!
I'm long past the baby naming stage of my life, though.