In the U.K., a government department called the Office for National Statistics compiles an annual list of the most popular names for boys and girls born in Britain. The names on the list are based on the exact spelling of the name given on the birth certificate.
The 2016 edition (based on 2015 data) shows a surprise return for the Biblical name Noah, for boys; whereas the number one name for girls remains unchanged, with Amelia continuing to occupy the top spot for the fifth straight year. The number one name for boys is also unchanged, remaining with Oliver for the third consecutive year.
While the number one names for boys and girls has not altered for sometime, there is more fluidity within the respective top tens. The boys’ list is (name followed by number of children registered):
Oliver 6,941
Jack 5,371
Harry 5,308
George 4,869
Jacob 4,850
Charlie 4,831
Noah 4,148
William 4,083
Thomas 4,075
Oscar 4,066
Whereas, with the girls’:
Amelia 5,158
Olivia 4,853
Emily 3,893
Isla 3,474
Ava 3,414
Ella 3,028
Jessica 2,937
Isabella 2,876
Mia 2,842
Poppy 2,816
Interestingly, the findings come after an online poll, reported by the BBC, indicating almost a fifth of parents in the U.K. regret the name they chose for their child.
Right down in the lower reaches of the list, below tens of thousands of other names, there were 17 boys and 15 girls who were named “Baby.” Whether this is an attempt at a new trend or the outcome of some very unimaginative parents is unclear. There were also 35 boys called Rocky, and 21 named Apollo.
