Naming a new baby is a big responsibility, and whilst some parents want their child to stand out from the crowd, some names endure the test of time.
New analysis of ONS (Office for National Statistics) baby name data by leading name label manufacturer, My Nametags (https://www.mynametags.com), reveals the UK’s ‘children’s name capitals’, the areas of the country where you are most likely to encounter a child with a certain name.
The analysis reveals that parents in Wales are more likely to name their child Dylan or Megan, than parents anywhere else in the UK.
Brits can discover the full list of name capitals via the interactive map created by the company.
How Wales Compares to the Rest of the UK
SOUTH WEST
Oliver has topped the charts as one of the UK’s most popular boys name for some years. However, there is a higher concentration of them born in the South West than anywhere else in the UK. You are also more likely to find an Amelia in the region than anywhere else in the country.
SOUTH EAST
The names William and Charlotte top the charts in the South East.
LONDON
You are most likely to find an Alexander or an Isabella in the nation’s capital.
EAST OF ENGLAND
Parents across East Anglia are more likely to name their child either Harry or Holly than families elsewhere in the UK.
EAST MIDLANDS
You are most likely to meet an Oscar or an Isla in the East Midlands than anywhere else in the UK.
WEST MIDLANDS
The West Midlands has the highest concentration of Mohammeds in the UK. For girls, it’s Maisie that appears more frequently in the region than anywhere else.
NORTH WEST
Olivia has topped the charts as the most popular baby girls name for a few years now but the North West has the highest concentration of Olivias in the UK.
Thomas is also preferred by more parents in the North West than in any other region.
NORTH EAST
Jack has ranked highly in the baby name charts for decades, but it’s in the North East where you are most likely to find a child named Jack. For girls, it’s Emily.
YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER
You are most likely to come across a child named Charlie or Evie in Yorkshire and the Humber.
SCOTLAND
Scotland has the highest density of boys named Lewis and girls named Sophie.
NORTHERN IRELAND
In Northern Ireland, parents prefer to name their child either James or Grace.
The Maths Behind the Trends
Data from ONS detailing the most popular baby names between 2001 – 2019 was analysed to create a list of the most common names amongst children aged between 0-18 across the country. The total number of babies given each name was then divided by the total number of babies born in each region during the time period to provide a true representation of name density per region.
What the Experts Say
Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director at My Nametags, comments: “At My Nametags we see thousands of names every day and we were interested to understand the patterns of where certain names appear most commonly in the UK.
“Our analysis revealed some interesting insights, so we have created an interactive map to help people discover the name trends in their region and how it compares to the rest of the UK.”
To view the full interactive map and find out more about the research, visit: https://www.mynametags.com/blog/2022/02/uk-baby-names-my-nametags-reveals-the-most-popular-by-region/
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