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UK’s most popular baby names of 2021 so far

Boy and girl newborn babies (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Boy and girl newborn babies (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Royal baby names are among the most popular choices across the UK so far this year.

The baby names ranking, compiled by experts at Baby Centre, places three royal boys’ names in the top 20, while a variation of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter’s name takes the top spot for baby girl names.

The results have been based on names that have been registered by new parents on Baby Centre’s website throughout the year.

In 2021, the name Lily rose by three places, claiming the number one spot for girls’ names. It comes shortly after Harry and Meghan announced the birth of their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lily has been a popular baby name choice in the UK for the last decade, “bouncing around the top five”, Baby Centre said. It previously topped the chart back in 2011.

Baby Centre also predicted that Harry and Meghan’s announcement may keep Lily at the top spot for longer.

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Other popular girls’ names in the top five include Amelia in second place, Sophia (third), Olivia (fourth) and Ava (fifth).

In the boys’ ranking, royal names Harry, George and Archie all appeared in the top 20. The top three baby names for boys remained the same as last year, with Muhammad being the most popular, followed by Noah and then Oliver.

The name Penelope rose the most this year, jumping 37 places, while Alex moved up 35 places for boys’ names.

Perhaps influenced by former one direction star Zayn Malik, the name Zayn entered the ranking for the first time this year and is the 33rd most popular name of 2021 so far.

Other new entries in this year’s boys’ list are Omar, Kayden, Levi and Evan.

Under the girls' list, the name Elizabeth has entered the rankings for the first time as the 72nd most popular baby name this year. Other new entries include Mirha, Maeve, Leah and Ariana.

The top 20 boys’ names

  1. Muhammad

  2. Noah

  3. Oliver

  4. Theo

  5. George

  6. Charlie

  7. Leo

  8. Harry

  9. Freddie

  10. Jack

  11. Arthur

  12. Archie

  13. Finley

  14. Henry

  15. Jaxon

  16. Louie

  17. Lucas

  18. Thomas

  19. Alfie

  20. Oscar

The top 20 girls’ names

  1. Lily

  2. Amelia

  3. Sophia

  4. Olivia

  5. Ava

  6. Isla

  7. Rosie

  8. Aria

  9. Freya

  10. Ella

  11. Emily

  12. Mia

  13. Isabella

  14. Ivy

  15. Hannah

  16. Layla

  17. Grace

  18. Sophie

  19. Evelyn

  20. Evie

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