The 15 baby names that have been popular for 100 years

Many baby names are constantly going in and out of style, but some always manage to stand the test of time.

A new study of Office for National Statistics (ONS) baby name data have revealed the 15 names that have remained consistently in fashion over the last century. In the total top 100, which has seen 15 names added every decade since the 1920s, it includes a number of traditional British titles favoured by the monarchy such as George, Charles, and Elizabeth.

In the latest findings, 13 boys' names made the list, compared to just two girls' names. 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, reports Chronicle Live.

Data suggests that parents may be more daring when picking baby names for girls and they also don't remain consistently popular compared to boys names. 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.

A study by leading name label manufacturer, mynametags.com, has highlighted a generational shift in parents' attitudes towards nicknames. The research shows 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 names later on. Read below for the full list.

The 15 Most Popular Baby Names from 1921-2021

1. Alexander

2. Charles

3. Daniel

4. David

5. Edward

6. Elizabeth

7. George

8. James

9. Joseph

10. Michael

11. Mohammed

12. Robert

13. Sarah

14. Thomas

15. William

The ONS also notes: "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 includes 15 nickname-style names like 'Teddy', 'Ollie', and 'Freddie'.

My Nametags has conducted an analysis of baby name data for registered births in England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) spanning from the 1920s to the 2010s. For more information about the meanings of the most popular names and why they have remained fashionable, visit the My Nametags website.

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