Top baby names in England and Wales revealed - see how the list has changed over the years

David Dubas-Fisher & Veronique Hawksworth

17 May 2024 at 0:01 pm·2-min read

A mum holding her baby — Noah tops the list of boys' names in four regions of the UK -Credit:Getty

Noah and Olivia continue to reign as the most popular names for newborns in England and Wales, according to fresh data from the Office for National Statistics. The data, which has been released later in the year than usual, reflects the names parents chose for their babies in 2022.

A total of 3,289 baby girls were named Olivia according to the fresh data, as the name remains a popular choice with parents. 2022 marks the seventh consecutive year that Olivia has topped the list for girls' names. Amelia came in second with 2,884 newborns bearing the name, followed by Isla with 2,613, Ava with 2,293, and Lily with 2,281.

For boys, Noah was the most chosen name, with 4,586 babies being named so in 2022. This is the second year running that Noah has secured the top spot in the baby name charts.

Sleeping baby — London was the only region where Amelia came out on top -Credit:Getty

Muhammad climbed up to the second position from fifth, with 4,177 baby boys being given the name in 2022. George is third on the list with 3,699 babies, followed closely by Oliver with 3,691, and Leo with 3,610.

Noah is the preferred boy's name in four regions of the country - the North East, the East Midlands, the East of England, and Wales. Meanwhile, Muhammad is the favourite in the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands, and London.

In the South East, George is the most popular, while Arthur leads in the South West.

Olivia is the top girl's name in every region of the country except London, where Amelia won the top spot. Amelia is second in every region with the exceptions of London (Olivia), the South East (Isla), the South West (Florence) and Wales (Isla).

Check out our interactive chart to discover how different names have fluctuated in popularity over the years:.

Top 10 girls names 2022

1. Olivia: 3,289
2. Amelia: 2,884
3. Isla: 2,613
4. Ava: 2,293
5. Lily: 2,281
6. Ivy: 2,195
7. Freya: 2,162
8. Florence: 1,971
9. Isabella: 1,927
10. Mia: 1,868

Top 10 boys names 2022

1. Noah: 4,586
2. Muhammad: 4,177
3. George: 3,699
4. Oliver: 3,691
5. Leo: 3,610
6. Arthur: 3,603
7. Oscar: 2,883
8. Theodore: 2,835
9. Theo: 2,808
10. Freddie: 2,760

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Top 10 girls names 2022

Top 10 boys names 2022

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