Revealed: The Names that Never Go Out of Fashion

New analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) baby name data reveals the names that have stood the test of time and remained consistently popular over the last 100 years.

A total of 15 names have made it into the top 100 most popular names every single decade since the 1920s. The list includes a number of traditional British names favoured by the monarchy such as George, Charles, and Elizabeth.

13 boys’ names made the list, compared to just two girls’ names, suggesting that parents are more daring in their choices for baby girls. In fact, 339 different girls’ names appeared in the top 100 of each decade between the 1920s and 2010s, compared to just 276 boys’ names.

The data shows that girls’ names don’t stand the test of time with parents in the same way that boys’ names do. For instance, Gwendoline, Doris, and Vera were all staples of the 1920s, before being replaced by names such as Robyn, Harriet, and Zoe in later decades.

The data analysis by leading name label manufacturer, mynametags.com, also reveals a shift in parents’ attitudes towards nicknames throughout the generations. For instance, Alexander is one of the most consistently popular names, having been in the charts every decade since the 1920s, whilst Alex didn’t become popular in its own right until the 80s. The same trend can be seen with Anthony, Daniel, and Joshua, with their shortened versions – Tony, Danny, and Josh – all making appearances as given names later in the records.

This preference for nicknames as given names shows parents are becoming more informal with their name choices, especially when it comes to boys’ names. In the 1920s, just three nicknames appear in the top 100 boys’ chart - ‘Harry’, ‘Roy’, and ‘Fred’. This is compared to 15 in the 2010s chart, including ‘Teddy’, ‘Ollie’, and ‘Freddie’.

The Most Loved Baby Names: 1921-2021

What the Experts Say

Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at My Nametags, comments: “At My Nametags, we have been tracking baby name trends for almost two decades. Throughout the years, we have seen many names come and go, with trends often influenced by pop culture. For example, we saw a huge spike in the name Aria whilst Game of Thrones was airing. However, there are some names that seem to have enduring appeal.

“It’s interesting to see that, whilst traditional monikers like Elizabeth and George are maintaining their charm, names in general are becoming more diverse as parents favour less formal options, and increasingly take inspiration from popular culture. For example, Maeve made the top 100 charts in 2020, a year after the Netflix show Sex Education aired for the first time with its lead character Maeve Wiley. As popular culture continues to have a wider social impact, we expect this trend to grow, leading to an even broader range of names in the UK.”

Methodology 

My Nametags analysed baby name data for registered births in England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) between the 1920s and 2010s.

Visit the My Nametags website to find out more about the meanings of the most popular names and why they may have remained in fashion.