UK’s most popular baby names of 2021 so far

Royal and celebrity baby names were among the top 100 choices

Boy and girl newborn babies (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Royal baby names are among the most popular choices across the UK so far this year.

The baby names ranking, compiled by experts at Baby Centre, places three royal boys’ names in the top 20, while a variation of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter’s name takes the top spot for baby girl names.

The results have been based on names that have been registered by new parents on Baby Centre’s website throughout the year.

In 2021, the name Lily rose by three places, claiming the number one spot for girls’ names. It comes shortly after Harry and Meghan announced the birth of their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lily has been a popular baby name choice in the UK for the last decade, “bouncing around the top five”, Baby Centre said. It previously topped the chart back in 2011.

Baby Centre also predicted that Harry and Meghan’s announcement may keep Lily at the top spot for longer.

Other popular girls’ names in the top five include Amelia in second place, Sophia (third), Olivia (fourth) and Ava (fifth).

In the boys’ ranking, royal names Harry, George and Archie all appeared in the top 20. The top three baby names for boys remained the same as last year, with Muhammad being the most popular, followed by Noah and then Oliver.

The name Penelope rose the most this year, jumping 37 places, while Alex moved up 35 places for boys’ names.

Perhaps influenced by former one direction star Zayn Malik, the name Zayn entered the ranking for the first time this year and is the 33^rd most popular name of 2021 so far.

Other new entries in this year’s boys’ list are Omar, Kayden, Levi and Evan.

Under the girls' list, the name Elizabeth has entered the rankings for the first time as the 72^nd most popular baby name this year. Other new entries include Mirha, Maeve, Leah and Ariana.

The top 20 boys’ names

1. Muhammad
2. Noah
3. Oliver
4. Theo
5. George
6. Charlie
7. Leo
8. Harry
9. Freddie
10. Jack
11. Arthur
12. Archie
13. Finley
14. Henry
15. Jaxon
16. Louie
17. Lucas
18. Thomas
19. Alfie
20. Oscar

The top 20 girls’ names

1. Lily
2. Amelia
3. Sophia
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Isla
7. Rosie
8. Aria
9. Freya
10. Ella
11. Emily
12. Mia
13. Isabella
14. Ivy
15. Hannah
16. Layla
17. Grace
18. Sophie
19. Evelyn
20. Evie