Predictions for 2017's top names

[Lallypopstick]

The ONS usually publishes data on the top baby names of the last year around this time (last year the data was published 20th September and the year before it was 2nd September).

Any predictions about what might top the chart or be the new climbers? I think Theo might break the top 20 (29th last year) and Arlo won't be far behind (49 last year). And maybe an increase in Meghans because of Meghan Markle (apparently only 881st last year). I was also wondering about Ariana after the Manchester bombings and One Love concert.

Any others?

There are a LOT of different names! Wow.

Is this the first time that names used only once or twice are published?

Meebs the darkgreener website usually has all the names on it but I imagine not straight away. Not sure about ONS?

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/babynamesenglandandwales/2017/relateddata here's the full break down. Click on boys or girls and go to table 6.

Does anyone have a link to the full list of all names (as opposed to the top 100)? I remember finding this for previous years but now can't find it for 2017.. think it was held in a slightly different place in the website

Sorry - was being thick! Thanks Lallypopstick

Bad news for name trend fans. Next year's release is scheduled for September-October rather than the usual August-September. So we have over a year to go till we can play the prediction game again!

Thank you! :)

9 week old DD's name is 53 but has dropped 4 places, I hope it continues next year!

Was right about Evelyn (+5) everyone around me who's had a girl seems to have used this name lately. I expect it will grow again for next year's stats.

I'm surprised at the jump of 'Bonnie'.

What are people's thoughts on names which are fairly uncommon but still "trending"? My favourite name was used c.50 times a year up until about 10 years ago when it started rising and is now used c. 250 times a year (so ranked around 200).. presuming it stays out of the top 100 do you think it will date badly and be seen as a very 2010/2020 name? Or just continue to be seen as a fairly unusual name?

I find it all fascinating!
I like looking at spelling combinations. If you put Louie and Louis together it's about no.25. And Theo and Theodore make it about no.4 I think.
Same with girls. Isabella + Isabella or Sophia+Sophie+Sofia. They must be the top 2 names?
So I was wrong about Felix! Only no.100?
Right about Freya, Louis, Theo.
My kids' names are lower than I thought
I don't mind them being popular though as that means they're well liked. I'd rather that than an obscure name!

I love seeing how my children's names are doing...

I fully expected to see DS1's (15) name having made a huge leap up the charts, as I see/hear it mentioned a lot as a name people are considering, but it actually changed very little, both in terms of how many places it climbed and number of times it was used. Clearly far more people are considering it, then who actually go ahead and use it!

DD1's (13) name remains top 100, no surprises there. It was ranked 360-something when we used it in 2005.

DS2's (10 name also remains top 100, and again, no surprises there. It was ranked 500-something when we used it in 2008, so it's had a rapid climb into the top 100, but at least we were ahead of the trend!

DD2's (10) name had a small climb, from about 240-something, to 220-something. It was ranked 440-something when we used it in 2008, so has been climbing gradually.

DD3's (7) name fell a handful of places, and is 150-something, but was used a small number of times more than it was in 2016. It was 330-something when we used it in 2010, so again, a more gradual rise.

DS3's (5) name was used just 7 times last year, compared to 12 times in 2016 (that's the most it has ever been used). It was used 8 times in 2013, the year he was born. It's a name of Hebrew origin, and very similar (i.e. has a different initial letter, i.e. Tim instead of Jim) to a very popular Biblical boy's name, and I can foresee a day when other people will catch on to it, and it'll skyrocket. However at least it hasn't happened just yet!

Has anyone had a play with the thing on the BBC news website where you can put your council area in and it will tell you the number one girls and boys name for that area? It's fascinating how different the names are for each area, particularly boys.

@3in4years Louis/Louie has hardly moved at all compared to last year, less than a 100 in it I think

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/babynamesenglandandwales/2017

Scroll down for the full excel spread sheet of data of all names

Its after no.4.

Sorry, here. Ignore above post:

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths/bulletins/babynamesenglandandwales/2017/relateddata

Interesting how Megan has dropped 17 places in one year. Possibly people not wanting to be seen to copy the Royals - Louis also down 11 places.

Meghan spelling is up.

DS's name appears again for the first time since the year he was born.

We wanted very unusual but on trend. The growth of other names in a similar vein is music to my ears.

I am Statto.

My guess is it will start a long climb during the next decade.

Louie spelling is also up I think

Yey!! Only 5 babies with my daughters name! I did well there 😁😁😁

You can use the search bar on this article!

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-45559619

That's a great tool, thanks!

There were 31 babies with ds name last year.

@2totwo this is from 2017 so pre prince Louis

You're right, I forget that was so recently as it seems longer ago than this year. I expected more change overall than there is.

What are people's thoughts on names which are fairly uncommon but still "trending"? My favourite name was used c.50 times a year up until about 10 years ago when it started rising and is now used c. 250 times a year (so ranked around 200).. presuming it stays out of the top 100 do you think it will date badly and be seen as a very 2010/2020 name? Or just continue to be seen as a fairly unusual name?

It all depends on when you were born. A name clocking in at 250ish is generally viewed as trendy but unusual.

The names around 250 - 500 will contain a lot of names which will be in the top 100 a decade from now. Popular names don't tend to come from nowhere.

You also tend to get trends with themes or letters.

At the moment E at the start is very much in favour. I suspect we will see a shift to a consonant(s) over the next decade. O at the end of boys names is very much on the rise and has a way to go until it peaks.

Girls and boys are both seeing nature trends - but boys are more adventurous and that trend is lagging about 5 year behind girls frilly floral names.

Girls names generally are very cutsie with - ie endings still but I think that's waning. Elle or Bell (or variation of) is upcoming.

Overall whether something seems dated depends on how you sit in that cycle. You want to be ahead of the curve rather than following the curve. Or bang on trend but unusual following the trend rules.

I do think it's possible to predict but your personal taste is influenced by your own generation.