Are you a fan of vintage baby names? Or perhaps you'd be swayed by a lucky name choice? How about a unique name that's growing in popularity?
Using the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Life Insurance team at Compare the Market has analysed baby name trends from 2013 to 2023 to uncover the UK’s top-rising names for boys and girls…
© Getty ImagesBoy names that have grown in popularity:
1 | Zaviyar | 3,020% |
2 | Kylo | 2,720% |
3 | Izhaan | 2,550% |
4 | Koa | 2,443% |
5 | Kyrie | 2,150% |
6 | Atlas | 1,775% |
7 | Bowie | 1,520% |
8 | Wren | 1,500% |
9 | Sully | 1,467% |
10 | Ovie | 1,400% |
The study highlights Zaviyar as the fastest-rising boy name in the UK, soaring by an impressive 3,020 per cent between 2013 and 2023. Meaning "brave" and "lion's heart," Zaviyar is a really strong choice.
In sixth place is Atlas and it is of Greek origin, meaning "enduring" or "to endure," indicating they could be incredibly resilient.
© Getty ImagesSully, the name that comes in ninth place, is derived from the Old English word "saelig," meaning "one who is happy and blessed".
Girl names that have grown in popularity:
1 | Maeva | 10,000% |
2 | Fiadh | 3,300% |
3 | Alora | 3,160% |
4 | Mirha | 3,150% |
5 | Irha | 2,900% |
6 | Everleigh | 2,229% |
7 | Rue | 1,967% |
8 | Valencia | 1,933% |
9 | Maeve | 1,854% |
10 | Hoorain | 1,850% |
For girls, Maeva claims the top spot, skyrocketing by 10,000 per cent over the past decade. This elegant name, meaning "welcome" in French, is quickly becoming a popular choice.
In fourth place, Mirha features on the list and has grown 3,150 per cent in 10 years. It could have Arabic connections, which would then mean it translates to the word "Princess".
Valencia is derived from the Latin "Valentia," which also translates to "valor" or "bravery" and, of course, it is a sunny Spanish city.
© Getty ImagesWhich ones are not so hot?
The girl's name Alexa has dropped the most at a 97 per cent decrease from 2013 to 2023, presumably due to its association with Amazon’s voice technology. This was shortly followed by Kaitlin with a 96 per cent decrease in popularity.
The boy's name Leland has decreased in popularity by 96 per cent and Tyler-James by 95 per cent.
Banned baby names
While there are seemingly endless names to choose from, did you know that there are some that are banned completely? Each country has its own idea about which words can or cannot be used for names and here are some interesting examples…
The experts of language class platform Preply have compiled a list of the strangest baby name bans from around the world, including how Apple, Pineapple, Papaya and Dragonfruit are all banned in Malaysia and Rogue is not allowed in the UK.
