These are the baby names that have stood the test of time and remained consistently popular over the last 100 years. As many names come and go thanks to the latest TV celebrity or trend (you can see 20 set to be popular in 2024 here), these names have remained among the most popular for a century.
There are a total of 15 names which have made it into the top 100 most popular names every decade since the 1920s. The list includes a number of traditional British names favoured by the monarchy such as George, Charles and Elizabeth. The list, compiled from a recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) study, has 13 boys' names but 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, reports Chronicle Live.
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The data analysis, by label manufacturer mynametags.com, also highlighted a generational shift in parents' attitudes towards nicknames. The research showed that while Alexander has been a chart mainstay since the 1920s, its diminutive form Alex only gained popularity from the 80s onwards. Similar patterns are observed with Anthony, Daniel and Joshua, whose nicknames Tony, Danny, and Josh emerged as standalone given names later on.
The ONS also noted: "The appearance of Mohammed in the top 100 is not such a new phenomenon. The first time this name entered the top 100 was in 1924 when it ranked as the 91st most popular name for baby boys. This was not a blip as the name has featured in the top 100 most popular names for baby boys every ten years from 1924 to 1994 and every year since 1996."
Moreover, the growing preference for nicknames as full names suggests a move towards more casual naming conventions, particularly for boys. In the 1920s, only three nicknames made it into the top 100 boys' names - 'Harry', 'Roy', and 'Fred'.
Fast forward to the 2010s, and the list expands to include 15 nickname-names like 'Teddy', 'Ollie', and 'Freddie'.
The Most Popular Baby Names: 1921-2021
- Alexander
- Charles
- Daniel
- David
- Edward
- Elizabeth
- George
- James
- Joseph
- Michael
- Mohammed
- Robert
- Sarah
- Thomas
- William
Mynametags analysed baby name data for registered births in England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) between the 1920s and 2010s.
