Most popular baby names in the UK revealed – including some *very* unexpected newcomers

Whether it’s your first baby or your fourth, choosing a name can feel super high-stakes. It’s not just about what sounds nice — it’s the group chat opinions, family reactions, and the nagging thought of whether the baby itself will love it. Add in a partner with totally different tastes and suddenly your 'maybe' names list is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Thankfully, there's a whole lot of data that can come in handy for making this big decision. Each year, the Office for National Statistics releases its official rankings, with the latest update landing this week, looking at the names of all babies born in England and Wales last year.

This time around, there are some new entrants to the scene along with some firm non-movers, for instance Ruben has just crept in at number 100 (with the alternative spelling of Reuben ranking far higher), along with Vincent. On the list of girls' names, Lilah debuted along with Alba.

So if you’re after inspiration – or just want to avoid your child sharing a name with half their class – here’s a full breakdown of the 100 most popular baby names in the UK right now, using the most recent data available. Plus, a look back at the previous year's data to compare...

Most popular boys' names right now

1. Muhammad
2. Noah
3. Leo
4. Luca
5. Arthur
6. Oliver
7. George
8. Oscar
9. Theodore
10. Freddie
11. Archie
12. Theo
13. Henry
14. Jude
15. Arlo
16. Alfie
17. Rory
18. Finley
19. Harry
20. Mohammed
21. Albie
22. Charlie
23. Elijah
24. Jack
25. William
26. Adam
27. Roman
28. Louie
29. Reuben
30. Rowan
31. Edward
32. Lucas
33. Oakley
34. Teddy
35. Thomas
36. Isaac
37. Reggie
38. Ezra
39. Ronnie
40. Alexander
41. Jacob
42. James
43. Hudson
44. Tommy
45. Sonny
46. Hugo
47. Sebastian
48. Max
49. Louis
50. Harrison
51. Jesse
52. Frederick
53. Joshua
54. Ethan
55. Mohammad
56. Frankie
57. Albert
58. Vinnie
59. Felix
60. Joseph
61. Benjamin
62. Daniel
63. Jasper
64. Musa
65. Yusuf
66. Samuel
67. Myles
68. Liam
69. Elias
70. Ibrahim
71. Otis
72. Dylan
73. David
74. Finn
75. Zachary
76. Alfred
77. Mason
78. Kai
79. Rupert
80. Gabriel
81. Yahya
82. Caleb
83. Riley
84. Enzo
85. Michael
86. Austin
87. Logan
88. Jaxon
89. Toby
90. Milo
91. Hunter
92. Ellis
93. Vincent
94. Bobby
95. Elliot
96. Ralph
97. Carter
98. Stanley
99. Nathan
100. Ruben

Most popular girls' names right now

1. Olivia
2. Lily
3. Amelia
4. Isla
5. Florence
6. Freya
7. Poppy
8. Elsie
9. Ivy
10. Isabella
11. Ava
12. Evelyn
13. Sophia
14. Phoebe
15. Sienna
16. Mabel
17. Sofia
18. Daisy
19. Matilda
20. Willow
21. Mia
22. Arabella
23. Harper
24. Rosie
25. Charlotte
26. Maeve
27. Grace
28. Maya
29. Hallie
30. Margot
31. Lottie
32. Delilah
33. Penelope
34. Aria
35. Evie
36. Millie
37. Violet
38. Ruby
39. Aurora
40. Ada
41. Mila
42. Ayla
43. Maisie
44. Emily
45. Esme
46. Ella
47. Olive
48. Bonnie
49. Elodie
50. Layla
51. Emilia
52. Alice
53. Maryam
54. Isabelle
55. Ottilie
56. Eleanor
57. Iris
58. Eva
59. Harriet
60. Luna
61. Lyla
62. Eliana
63. Sophie
64. Orla
65. Eliza
66. Thea
67. Rose
68. Nova
69. Imogen
70. Lyra
71. Hazel
72. Erin
73. Zara
74. Elizabeth
75. Nora
76. Robyn
77. Clara
78. Nancy
79. Fatima
80. Eden
81. Ophelia
82. Raya
83. Eloise
84. Gracie
85. Emma
86. Anaya
87. Lola
88. Maria
89. Chloe
90. Athena
91. Bella
92. Darcie
93. Scarlett
94. Myla
95. Alba
96. Rosa
97. Marnie
98. Lara
99. Lilah
100. Frankie

Found a name you love and want to see how its popularity has (or perhaps hasn't!) evolved in the last couple of years? While baby naming trends come and go over the years, plenty do seem to stick around for a long stretch of time, so it probably won't come as much of a shock to see the likes of Olivia, Noah and Muhammad in the charts of previous years.

That being said, here are the most popular boys and girls names in England and Wales from 2024:

Previous most popular boys' names

1. Muhammad
2. Noah
3. Oliver
4. Arthur
5. Leo
6. George
7. Luca
8. Theodore
9. Oscar
10. Archie
11. Jude
12. Theo
13. Freddie
14. Henry
15. Arlo
16. Alfie
17. Charlie
18. Finley
19. Albie
20. Harry
21. Mohammed
22. Jack
23. Elijah
24. Rory
25. Lucas
26. Thomas
27. William
28. Louie
29. Teddy
30. Jacob
31. Edward
32. Roman
33. Reuben
34. Oakley
35. Adam
36. Alexander
37. Isaac
38. Ezra
39. Tommy
40. James
41. Rowan
42. Hudson
43. Reggie
44. Max
45. Sebastian
46. Hugo
47. Louis
48. Ethan
49. Ronnie
50. Joshua
51. Sonny
52. Harrison
53. Mohammad
54. Jesse
55. Frederick
56. Joseph
57. Albert
58. Frankie
59. Daniel
60. Samuel
61. Benjamin
62. Felix
63. Mason
64. David
65. Dylan
66. Jaxon
67. Otis
68. Yusuf
69. Zachary
70. Liam
71. Jasper
72. Kai
73. Musa
74. Gabriel
75. Caleb
76. Logan
77. Ibrahim
78. Hunter
79. Elias
80. Riley
81. Alfred
82. Bobby
83. Finn
84. Rupert
85. Michael
86. Toby
87. Myles
88. Austin
89. Nathan
90. Grayson
91. Vinnie
92. Enzo
93. Yahya
94. Ralph
95. Ellis
96. Milo
97. Bodhi
98. Elliot
99. Brody
100. Leon
     

Previous most popular girls' names

1. Olivia
2. Amelia
3. Lily
4. Isla
5. Ivy
6. Florence
7. Freya
8. Poppy
9. Ava
10. Elsie
11. Isabella
12. Sofia
13. Sophia
14. Mia
15. Maya
16. Bonnie
17. Phoebe
18. Daisy
19. Sienna
20. Evelyn
21. Willow
22. Harper
23. Charlotte
24. Rosie
25. Grace
26. Maeve
27. Millie
28. Margot
29. Evie
30. Arabella
31. Matilda
32. Hallie
33. Delilah
34. Emily
35. Aria
36. Penelope
37. Mabel
38. Lottie
39. Ella
40. Ada
41. Ruby
42. Violet
43. Aurora
44. Maisie
45. Emilia
46. Mila
47. Ayla
48. Luna
49. Alice
50. Sophie
51. Esme
52. Isabelle
53. Olive
54. Eva
55. Elodie
56. Layla
57. Maryam
58. Orla
59. Rose
60. Eden
61. Iris
62. Elizabeth
63. Eliza
64. Imogen
65. Erin
66. Thea
67. Eleanor
68. Harriet
69. Emma
70. Zara
71. Ottilie
72. Chloe
73. Ophelia
74. Lyla
75. Hazel
76. Bella
77. Fatima
78. Robyn
79. Scarlett
80. Nova
81. Nancy
82. Raya
83. Lyra
84. Clara
85. Eloise
86. Nora
87. Lola
88. Ellie
89. Myla
90. Darcie
91. Maria
92. Jasmine
93. Nellie
94. Rosa
95. Jessica
96. Athena
97. Sara
98. Lara
99. Zoe
100. Amelie
     

Jade Biggs

Freelance Writer

Jade Biggs (she/her) is one of Cosmopolitan UK's freelance writers, working across all sections including entertainment, beauty, body, and sex and relationships. She previously held the position of Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and the latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. Jade has a degree in journalism and has been a journalist and content editor for ten years, interviewing leading researchers, high-profile influencers, and industry experts in that time. She is a cat mom to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches, and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.