Baby names have a long and interesting history. In ancient civilisations, names were often chosen based on their meaning or the names of gods. As time passed, names became more personal and were chosen based on family traditions, cultural customs, and popular trends.
Most popular baby names
With the available top 100 baby names data, we were able to discover that the boy’s name Oliver has been the most popular baby boy’s name in the 2020’s. This may be due to its popularity in culture, its strong and classic sound or perhaps the positive associations with a well-known public figure or character such as Oliver Queen from the TV show ‘Arrow’.
The names Olivia and Charlotte were the two most popular girls' names in the 2020’s, which may also be due to positive associations with popular TV shows or the Royal Family.
| Year | Boy | Girl |
| 50's | Peter, John | Jennifer, Susan, Christine |
| 60's | David, Michael | Karen, Jennifer |
| 70's | Jason Michael | Rebecca, Michelle |
| 80's | Matthew, Michael | Jessica, Rebecca |
| 90's | Joshua, Matthew | Jessica, Emily |
| 2000's | William, Jack | Isabella, Chloe, Emily |
| 2010's | Jack, Joshua | Chloe, Isabella |
| 2020's | Oliver, William | Olivia, Charlotte |
Table: Some of the most popular names from previous decades
Unique baby names
In recent years, a rise in unique and modern names has emerged. Many parents are choosing to give their children names to set them apart and give them a more individualised identity. This trend is reflected in the rise of names like Harper, Leo and Mia in the top 100 baby names.
Other unique baby names represent the multicultural society we are. With our diverse population and families coming from different cultural backgrounds, many parents are choosing to give their children names that reflect their heritage and cultural identity. This trend has led to a wider variety of names being used including those from different languages and cultures. One baby boy name that has made it to the top 100 baby names is Muhammad. Since 2012 it has been climbing up the list. As of 2021, it is the 47th most popular baby boy name.
Want to see the data for yourself?
To view the popular baby names 1952 – 2022 dataset click here.