Baby name ideas - how to choose the perfect newborn name

From the moment your newborn arrives, they bring a sense of joy, love, and wonder that new parents will never forget. However, one of the most exciting aspects of preparing for a new arrival is choosing the perfect name. A baby’s name is more than just a label; it's a reflection of your hopes, dreams, and aspirations for your little one.

Personalised dressing gown with the baby's name Thomas.

However, with so many baby names to choose from, finding the right one that you and your partner can agree on may feel like a daunting task. In this article, we'll explore the top 100 most popular baby names in the UK, as well as unique baby name ideas and traditional name ideas. Finally, we will also offer some tips for making the perfect choice for your little one. So, let's get started!


How do I choose the right baby name? 

Remember that choosing the right baby name for your newborn is a highly personal thing, and as long as you and your other half are happy with the name, there are no right or wrong answers. However, there are a few factors that you might what to consider in the process of deciding on the perfect name.

  1. Firstly, start brainstorming names with your family and friends early on after you’ve found out what you are expecting. This gives you plenty of time to consider options, discuss with your partner, and narrow down choices.
  2. Seek inspiration from a variety of sources. From Googling ‘baby name ideas’ to looking in your favourite books and films, there are plenty of ways to discover new and interesting names that you might not have considered before.
  3. Spend some time thinking about what you like. Would you prefer a classic name such as James or Victoria, or do modern names such as Apollo or Luna feel like a better fit?
  4. How popular are the names on your short list? You may prefer a popular name so that your child blends in with their peers, or, you may prefer a unique name that helps them to stand out from the crowd.
  5. Ask around to see if there are any family traditions when it comes to first names or middle names. Some families often use the same names for different genders that are passed down through the generations. While you’re in no way beholden to this, it’s worth considering!
  6. Consider any potential negative associations with the names you’ve shortlisted. For example, are the names similar to the names of anyone disliked in your family, or perhaps a controversial or historical figure that you might not want them to be associated with?
  7. Say the name out loud to hear how it sounds (and not just in your head). Consider how it flows, its rhythm, and if it's easy to pronounce. Remember, your family and (eventually) your newborn will be saying this name for a lifetime, so you want it to feel comfortable and pleasant.
  8. Ask friends and family. Having a third-party perspective can be invaluable, as they may be able to point out new baby name ideas, or downsides to names on your existing list that you may not have already considered.

Baby Name on a blanket - Leni Raye

What are the most popular baby girl names?

So, what are the most popular baby girl names in the country? According to the most recent data from the Office of National Statistics, the most popular baby girl names in England and Wales are Olivia, Amelia, Isla, Ava, Ivy, Freya, and Lily. These are followed by the other baby girl names listed in the table below.


Rank

Name

Count

1

Olivia

3,649

2

Amelia

3,164

3

Isla

2,683

4

Ava

2,576

5

Ivy

2,245

6

Freya

2,187

7

Lily

2,182

8

Florence

2,180

9

Mia

2,168

10

Willow

2,067

11

Rosie

2,028

12

Sophia

2,019

13

Isabella

2,010

14

Grace

1,992

15

Daisy

1,873

16

Sienna

1,869

17

Poppy

1,841

18

Elsie

1,840

19

Emily

1,797

20

Ella

1,756

21

Evelyn

1,729

22

Phoebe

1,678

23

Sofia

1,671

24

Evie

1,670

25

Charlotte

1,654

26

Harper

1,480

27

Millie

1,472

28

Matilda

1,437

29

Maya

1,433

30

Sophie

1,375

31

Alice

1,359

32

Emilia

1,353

33

Isabelle

1,304

34

Ruby

1,300

35

Luna

1,261

36

Maisie

1,229

37

Aria

1,202

38

Penelope

1,194

39

Mila

1,133

40

Bonnie

1,121

41

Eva

1,091

42

Hallie

1,070

43

Eliza

1,064

44

Ada

1,058

45

Violet

1,057

46

Esme

1,013

47

Arabella

1,012

48

Imogen

998

49

Jessica

997

50

Delilah

981

51

Lottie

954

52

Chloe

932

53

Thea

917

53

Layla

917

55

Eleanor

915

56

Aurora

910

57

Margot

892

58

Mabel

885

59

Erin

884

60

Elizabeth

862

61

Emma

860

62

Scarlett

858

63

Harriet

810

64

Lola

807

65

Nancy

797

66

Orla

794

67

Ayla

793

68

Rose

787

69

Zara

773

70

Iris

746

71

Robyn

739

72

Bella

730

73

Molly

729

74

Olive

691

75

Maria

682

76

Lyla

667

77

Maeve

654

78

Ellie

638

79

Gracie

632

80

Lyra

630

81

Darcie

623

82

Maryam

621

83

Edith

613

84

Heidi

610

85

Lucy

607

86

Myla

602

87

Amelie

598

88

Amber

594

89

Hannah

588

90

Summer

586

91

Eden

585

92

Jasmine

583

93

Elodie

576

94

Clara

574

95

Holly

568

96

Lilly

551

97

Anna

545

98

Lara

539

99

Beatrice

515

100

Sara

511

 

Pale pink personalised baby blanket - Name Eunice

 

What are the most popular baby boy names?

So, what are the most popular baby boy names in the country? According to the most recent data from the Office of National Statistics, the most popular baby boy names in England and Wales are Noah, Oliver, George, Arthur, Muhammed, Leo, Harry, and Oscar. These are followed by the other baby boy names listed in the table below.



Rank

Name

Count

1

Noah

4,525

2

Oliver

4,167

3

George

4,141

4

Arthur

3,766

5

Muhammad

3,722

6

Leo

3,465

7

Harry

3,089

8

Oscar

3,071

9

Archie

2,928

10

Henry

2,912

11

Theodore

2,889

12

Freddie

2,873

13

Jack

2,847

14

Charlie

2,674

15

Theo

2,514

16

Alfie

2,338

17

Jacob

2,319

18

Thomas

2,302

19

Finley

2,283

20

Arlo

2,154

21

William

2,093

22

Lucas

1,965

23

Roman

1,923

24

Tommy

1,901

25

Isaac

1,888

26

Teddy

1,875

27

Alexander

1,830

28

Luca

1,807

29

Edward

1,806

30

James

1,772

31

Joshua

1,737

32

Albie

1,729

33

Elijah

1,657

34

Max

1,650

35

Mohammed

1,619

36

Reuben

1,534

37

Mason

1,517

38

Sebastian

1,516

39

Rory

1,483

40

Jude

1,482

41

Louie

1,461

42

Benjamin

1,423

43

Ethan

1,398

44

Adam

1,367

45

Hugo

1,325

46

Joseph

1,307

47

Reggie

1,287

48

Ronnie

1,285

49

Harrison

1,254

50

Louis

1,240

51

Ezra

1,226

52

Jaxon

1,210

53

Logan

1,192

54

Daniel

1,150

55

Zachary

1,146

56

Samuel

1,123

57

Dylan

1,099

58

Albert

1,091

59

Hudson

1,069

60

Hunter

1,042

61

Frederick

1,017

62

David

961

63

Rowan

938

64

Jesse

929

65

Frankie

920

66

Toby

918

67

Oakley

908

68

Grayson

903

69

Carter

825

70

Riley

817

71

Felix

807

72

Finn

788

73

Bobby

772

74

Blake

771

75

Sonny

762

76

Caleb

758

77

Gabriel

749

77

Michael

749

79

Jasper

742

80

Alfred

739

81

Otis

737

82

Stanley

724

83

Milo

719

83

Mohammad

719

85

Ralph

692

86

Liam

690

87

Chester

680

88

Ellis

670

89

Elliot

664

90

Brody

645

91

Charles

639

91

Kai

639

93

Rupert

631

94

Yusuf

628

95

Harvey

627

96

Ollie

613

97

Jackson

607

98

Tobias

596

99

Nathan

595

100

Myles

592


Personalised blue baby name bath towel - Oliver

Gender neutral baby name ideas

Increasingly, parents are considering gender neutral clothing, nurseries, and names for their children. If you’d prefer to give your newborn a unisex or gender-neutral name, then we have plenty of inspiration for you. While there are no official statistics on the most popular gender-neutral baby names, we’ve brainstormed and put together a list of our favourite 100 gender neutral baby name ideas for you to consider below.

  1. Addison
  2. Adrian
  3. Ainsley
  4. Alex
  5. Andy
  6. Ari
  7. Ash
  8. Aspen
  9. Aubrey
  10. Avery
  11. Bailey
  12. Bay
  13. Blaine
  14. Blair
  15. Blake
  16. Bobbie
  17. Bowie
  18. Brett
  19. Brook
  20. Caelan
  21. Cameron
  22. Campbell
  23. Carroll
  24. Casey
  25. Cassidy
  26. Charlie
  27. Chris
  28. Clay
  29. Corey
  30. Dakota
  31. Dale
  32. Dana
  33. Daryl
  34. Devin
  35. Dorian
  36. Drew
  37. Echo
  38. Eddie
  39. Eden
  40. Eli
  41. Elliott
  42. Ellis
  43. Emory
  44. Ezra
  45. Finley
  46. Frances
  47. Frankie
  48. Gabriel
  49. Glenn
  50. Gray
  51. Greer
  52. Harley
  53. Harlow
  54. Harper
  55. Hayden
  56. Indigo
  57. Jamie
  58. Jean
  59. Jesse
  60. Jordan
  61. Jules
  62. Julian
  63. Kaden
  64. Kai
  65. Kelly
  66. Kendal
  67. Kennedy
  68. Kit
  69. Lake
  70. Lee
  71. Logan
  72. Max
  73. Morgan
  74. Parker
  75. Pat
  76. Peyton
  77. Quinn
  78. Ray
  79. Reed
  80. Remy/Remi
  81. Riley
  82. River
  83. Roan
  84. Rowan
  85. Rudy
  86. Ryan
  87. Sage
  88. Sam
  89. Sean
  90. Shawn
  91. Stevie
  92. Tanner
  93. Taylor
  94. Teagan
  95. Terry
  96. Toby
  97. Tyler
  98. Val
  99. West
  100. Winter
 Teddy bear with personalised jumper - baby name Tom

What are some unique baby name ideas?

When it comes to sourcing the right name for your newborn baby, it’s important that you settle on a decision that both you and your partner are happy with. If you're not keen to follow the crowd, or are looking for something a little more unique, then you may be interested in our more modern or unique baby name ideas. These are listed below to give you some baby names inspiration.

  1. Aelin (Girls)
  2. Ajax (Boys)
  3. Alden (Boys)
  4. Allegra (Girls)
  5. Amberlyn (Girls)
  6. Amity (Girls)
  7. Arden (Boys)
  8. Arrow (Unisex)
  9. Aspen (Boys)
  10. Astraeus (Boys)
  11. Astrid (Girls)
  12. Atticus (Boys)
  13. Aurea (Girls)
  14. Aurelia (Girls)
  15. Baldwin (Boys)
  16. Bay (Boys)
  17. Berkely (Girls)
  18. Berlin (Girls)
  19. Billie (Girls)
  20. Blade (Boys)
  21. Blaze (Unisex)
  22. Blossom (Girls)
  23. Boaz (Boys)
  24. Bowie (Girls)
  25. Bram (Boys)
  26. Brendan (Boys)
  27. Bridget (Girls)
  28. Brioni (Girls)
  29. Bronwyn (Girls)
  30. Bryn (Boys)
  31. Bryony  (Girls)
  32. Caius (Boys)
  33. Calantha (Girls)
  34. Calliope (Girls)
  35. Calloway (Boys)
  36. Caspian (Boys)
  37. Cedar (Boys)
  38. Celestino (Boys)
  39. Cerese (Girls)
  40. Clarke (Unisex)
  41. Codi (Girls)
  42. Colby (Girls)
  43. Cormac (Boys)
  44. Cove (Unisex)
  45. Crimson (Girls)
  46. Danni (Girls)
  47. Dashiell (Boys)
  48. Delphine (Girls)
  49. Dulaney (Boys)
  50. Dune (Unisex)
  51. Echo (Unisex)
  52. Electra (Girls)
  53. Elias (Boys)
  54. Ellington (Boys)
  55. Elowen (Girls)
  56. Emmanual (Boys)
  57. Emrys (Boys)
  58. Etta (Girls)
  59. Eulalie (Girls)
  60. Fable (Unisex)
  61. Finnian (Boys)
  62. Flynn (Boys)
  63. Forrest (Boys)
  64. Foster (Unisex)
  65. Fox (Boys)
  66. Francesca (Girls)
  67. Freya (Girls)
  68. Garner (Boys)
  69. Gideon (Boys)
  70. Grove (Unisex)
  71. Guinevere (Girls)
  72. Haven (Unisex)
  73. Hopper (Boys)
  74. Huxley (Boys)
  75. Indigo (Unisex)
  76. Isolde (Girls)
  77. Ivy (Girls)
  78. Jazz (Boys)
  79. Jeanne (Girls)
  80. Jett (Unisex)
  81. Jianna (Girls)
  82. Joss (Boys)
  83. Jovan (Boys)
  84. Juniper (Girls)
  85. Kaida (Girls)
  86. Kalliope (Girls)
  87. Katniss (Girls)
  88. Koa (Boys)
  89. Lark (Unisex)
  90. Leif (Boys)
  91. Linnea (Girls)
  92. Lucifer (Boys)
  93. Lux (Girls)
  94. Lyra (Girls)
  95. Magnus (Boys)
  96. Maximillian (Boys)
  97. Mesa (Unisex)
  98. Min-soo (Boys)
  99. Mireille (Girls)
  100. Monet (Boys)
  101. Moon (Boys)
  102. Moxie (Girls)
  103. Naveen (Boys)
  104. Nebula (Girls)
  105. Niamh (Girls)
  106. Nova (Unisex)
  107. Nyx (Boys)
  108. Oberon (Boys)
  109. Olive (Girls)
  110. Ondine (Girls)
  111. Onyx (Unisex)
  112. Orelia (Girls)
  113. Orion (Boys)
  114. Paxon (Boys)
  115. Persephone (Girls)
  116. Quilla (Girls)
  117. Rain (Boys)
  118. Rakesh (Boys)
  119. Rayne (Boys)
  120. Rebel (Boys)
  121. Reyes (Boys)
  122. Rhiannon (Girls)
  123. River (Unisex)
  124. Ronan (Boys)
  125. Rosalinda (Girls)
  126. Rowan (Boys)
  127. Rune (Boys)
  128. Sage (Unisex)
  129. Salome (Girls)
  130. Shepherd (Boys)
  131. Sonnet (Girls)
  132. Stellan (Boys)
  133. Stevie (Girls)
  134. Storm (Unisex)
  135. Thisbe (Girls)
  136. Thorn (Boys)
  137. Ulric (Boys)
  138. Vadim (Boys)
  139. Vale (Unisex)
  140. Valkyrie (Girls)
  141. Vandelia (Girls)
  142. Vashti (Girls)
  143. Vesper (Girls)
  144. Vivianne (Girls)
  145. Wilder (Boys)
  146. Willow (Unisex)
  147. Winslet (Girls)
  148. Wisteria (Girls)
  149. Woody (Boys)
  150. Xanthe (Girls)

White bunny with embroidered birth details on the tummy

 

Traditional baby name ideas

If you prefer more traditional baby names, there are plenty of classics to choose from, such as James, Victoria, Edward, Thomas, David, and Elizabeth. We’ve provided a fuller list of our favourite 25 classic baby name ideas for you to choose from below.

  1. Elizabeth (Girls)
  2. James (Boys)
  3. Katherine (Girls)
  4. William (Boys)
  5. Margaret (Girls)
  6. Thomas (Boys)
  7. Victoria (Girls)
  8. Edward (Boys)
  9. Charlotte (Girls)
  10. Henry (Boys)
  11. David (Boys)
  12. Rebecca (Girls)
  13. Jacob (Boys)
  14. Abigail (Girls)
  15. Tobias (Boys)
  16. Lucy (Girls)
  17. Benjamin (Boys)
  18. Nathaniel (Boys)
  19. Gabriel (Boys)
  20. Aaron (Boys)
  21. Isaac (Boys)
  22. Leah (Girls)
  23. Daniel (Boys)
  24. Anna (Girls)
  25. Mary (Girls)
 

When do babies recognise their own name?

One popular question that new parents have about their baby’s name is how long it will be before they are able to recognise it. Some research suggests that this is often around 6 to 7 months of age, however, this will vary from baby to baby. Each newborn will develop at their own pace. That said, by about 9 to 12 months, most babies will be able to consistently respond to their own name.



Are you looking for the perfect gift with your baby’s name on it? 

baby name on dressing gown

At Bumbles and Boo, we understand the importance of choosing the perfect name for your little one. That's why we offer a range of adorable, soft, and high-quality gifts for babies, including blankets and toys that you can customise with their name. These personalisable baby gifts are not only practical but also make for a thoughtful and meaningful present for new parents. Whatever you decide to call your baby, the most important thing is that it's special to you and your family.


Take your time, consider your options, and choose a name that you and your little one will love for years to come. Enjoy the process and happy baby naming!

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