Oxford,
31
January
2019
|
13:00
Europe/London

Favourite baby names for 2018 revealed

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Baby names

There’s something strikingly similar about the most popular baby names for boys and girls in Oxfordshire in 2018 – the first four letters.

Oliver and Olivia were the favourites among the 7,745 births registered last year, according to Oxfordshire County Council’s Registration Service.

Oliver has now been the boys’ favourite for two years running, while Olivia climbs from second in 2017.

Superintendent Registrar Alicja Gilroy said: “Oliver and Olivia have been popular for a few years now. There are no particular trends to suggest a reason why, but they are both lovely names.”

As well as births, the council’s Registration Service oversees the registration of deaths, marriages, civil partnerships, citizenship and naming ceremonies among its many duties.

That service is all part of the county council’s commitment to thriving communities – helping people live safe, healthy lives and play an active part in their community.

What names are in the top 10?

Alicja said there had been no new names rising up the list in 2018, although there had been an increase in hyphenated forenames.

“We’ve been collating the names for a number of years now and there’s always a lot of interest in them,” said Alicja. “When parents come in to register their babies they always look to find if they are in the top 10.

“We are noticing a real variance in the way some of the more popular names are spelt, which is perhaps a reason why they’re no longer in the top 10. Names like Jamie and Kayleigh can be spelt so many different ways.”

Royal baby names can sometimes have a bearing on the list, but while George remains the second most popular boy’s name, Charlotte has dropped out of the top 20 and there’s no place for Louis.

It remains to be seen whether the name chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, will make more of an impression in 2019 than those picked by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, in the past few years.

The 2018 Oxfordshire baby name league table (with 2017 for comparison)

Girls

2018

2017

1. Olivia

1. Lily

2. Isabella

2. Olivia

3. Amelia

3. Amelia

4. Florence

4. Poppy

5. Lily

5. Isla

6. Evelyn

6. Ava

7. Isla

7. Emily

8. Emilia

8. Evie

9. Sophie

9. Florence

10. Ava

10. Isabella

Boys

2018

2017

1. Oliver

1. Oliver

2. George

2. George

3. Oscar

3. Harry

4. Jacob 

4. Jack 

5. William

5. Arthur

6. Jack

6. Alfie

7. Benjamin

7. Oscar

8. Joshua

8. Jacob

9. Charlie

9. Muhammed

10. Henry

10. Benjamin