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Lifestyle

18th Oct 2021

Most popular baby names of the year revealed

Kieran Galpin

Netflix has had a say in baby names, reports suggest

Baby names are something that are uniquely specific to the parents that dish them out. Very rarely are they something plucked from the ether as – after all – you do have to say it countless times a day for decades to come.

Though trends tend to fluctuate – and celeb names like Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow’s Apple always make an appearance – the 2020/21 top picks are in!

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Netflix and the Royal Family have had an immense impact on baby names this year.

The statistics show that younger parents tend to opt for more contemporary names, whereas older parents stick to tradition.

Names like Maeve and Otis became immensely popular in 2020 thanks to shows like Sex Education. Though pop culture is clearly an inspiration, no kids called Squid Game have yet to make an appearance, thank God.

Top ten female names:

1. Olivia
2. Amelia
3. Isla
4. Ava
5. Mia
6. Ivy
7. Lily
8. Isabella
9. Rosie
10. Sophia

Top ten male names:

1. Oliver
2. George
3. Arthur
4. Noah
5. Muhammad
6. Leo
7. Oscar
8. Harry
9. Archie
10. Jack

This is the eighth year in a row that Oliver has hit the top spot and the fifth year Olivia has reigned supreme.

But if you are looking for something a little more original, turn your head to look at the strange, confusing, and sometimes questionable world of celebrity baby names.

Of course, you have X Æ A-12, the name of Elon Musk and Grimes’ baby. God only knows what it means, as both parents seem to have conflicting ideas and Google suggests something else entirely.

Marc Silverstein and Busy Philipps named their daughters – and we are not joking here – Cricket Pearl and Birdie Leigh.

Jessica Chastain and her husband Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo welcomed their baby girl Giuliette, which actually means ‘youthful’ and not a brand of razors.

But of course, you should name your baby whatever you want, except for Nigel as that name is closing in on extinction.

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