If you’re expecting, you’ll know how time consuming it can be to trawl through lists of baby names in search for the perfect moniker. From the most ‘beautiful’ baby names (opens in new tab) according to science, to the luckiest baby names (opens in new tab), it can all feel a bit daunting when it comes to choosing.
Some parents opt for classic-sounding or vintage baby names (opens in new tab), others may like the idea of reviving a name that is soon to become extinct (opens in new tab) – and in recent years, there has been a rather unusual trend of naming your newborn after food and drink (opens in new tab).
You may also be wondering if the list of the UK’s most popular baby names (opens in new tab) is actually representative of the monikers you hear frequently in your city or town.
But it seems that across the UK, popular baby names can wildly differ from place to place.
By analysing data from the Office of National Statistics, insurance agency Protectivity (opens in new tab) found that the most popular baby names in the UK vary. They looked at the data for names given to children born during 2021 for the 15 most populated towns and cities to find out which monikers topped the lists in various parts of the UK.
And while there are some names that have consistently ranked in the top 10 baby names charts in recent years – think Olivia, Amelia and Oliver – there are definitely some surprises too!
Most popular baby names in UK towns and cities
Ready to see which baby names top the list in your hometown? Take a look…
Most popular baby names in London and Stoke-on-Trent
There may be over 130 miles between London and Stoke-on-Trent, but when it comes to baby names inhabitants of these cities are very much aligned. In both places, the most popular girls name is Olivia, and the most popular boys name is Muhammed.
Most popular baby names in Birmingham, Sheffield, Leicester and Nottingham
Four cities that share a love for the names Amelia and Muhammed are Birmingham, Sheffield, Leicester and Nottingham.
In Birmingham, 407 baby boys were named Muhammed – the most in any city in the UK – and it was also the birth place of the most Amelias, with 68 newborns given the moniker in 2021.
Most popular baby names in Liverpool and Sunderland
In Liverpool and Sunderland, there’s something about the letter ‘O’ for parents who live there. In both places, Oliver and Olivia were the top choices for baby names. Rosie also proved popular in Sunderland the same year.
Most popular baby names in Bristol
Jack is the most popular boys name in Bristol – and it is the only city in the UK where it tops the popularity list, with 35 Jacks born there in 2021.
The most popular girls name was Lily, with 29 children given the name.
Most popular baby names in Leeds and Cardiff
Leeds and Cardiff share the same most popular names, with Amelia – which features in the top spot for many cities – taking the top spot for girls, and Noah taking first place for the most popular boys name.
Most popular baby names in Manchester
Manchester follows suit with London and Birmingham when it comes to the most popular boys name, with the title going to Muhammed.
But when it comes to girls names, they aren’t following any trends – opting for Ava and Fatima instead, making it the only city in the top 15 where these names appear.
Most popular baby names in Coventry
In Coventry, there was a surprising winner for the top boys name with Leo taking the crown. For girls, Amelia was the most popular – which is also the second most popular name overall in the UK.
Most popular baby names in Reading
Three names were the standout winners when it comes to baby names for girls – Emily, Grace and Lily all tied in top place.
Similar to Leeds and Cardiff, parents also favoured the name Noah for their baby boys.
Most popular baby names in Hull
Olivia yet again tops the list for another city – which is no surprise as it is the most popular girls name overall in the UK.
The most popular name for boys was Tommy, possibly inspired by TV show Peaky Blinders.
So there you have it!