Top Ten Baby Names of 2012 in England and Wales

The list of the most popular baby names of 2012 in England and Wales has been produced. For the second year in a row, Harry and Amelia have taken the top spots. There were over 7,000 Amelias and over 7,000 Harrys born in England and Wales in 2012.

Oliver and Olivia maintained high positions coming in at number two. The most popular girls’ names for 2012, in order of popularity, were Amelia, Olivia, Jessica, Emily, Lily, Ava, Mia, Isla, Sophie and Isabella.

Jessica has climbed up the charts, and this could be because of Jessica Ennis, an Olympic Hero who captured the nation’s heart in the 2012 games. Or it might be thanks to the popularity of Jessica Day, the main character from the hit show New Girl.

The top 10 boys’ names, in order of popularity, were Harry, Oliver, Jack, Charlie, Jacob, Thomas, Alfie, Riley, William and James. Many of the names in the top 10 stay the same each year, although they may climb or fall slightly in popularity. Riley made its debut in the top 10 at number eight.

Compared to the US
Olivia was the second most popular name in England and Wales, and the third most popular baby name in the US in 2012. Isabella was the fourth popular name in the US, and came in at number 10 on the list for England and Wales. Lily, Mia, Emily and Ava featured on both lists, so are quite popular on both sides of the pond. Sophia topped the US popularity list for 2012, but didn’t appear on the top 10 list for England and Wales. Sophie came in at number 10 though, and that is a variation of the name Sophia.

There was less crossover for boys’ names, suggesting that US parents have different preferences to their counterparts in England and Wales. Jacob was the fifth most popular boys’ name in England and Wales, and the eighth in the US. The only other name that appeared on both lists was Jack, which came in third in England and Wales, and just squeezed into tenth place in the US.
Predictions for 2013
The baby Prince is expected to cause a surge of popularity for the name George. The little Prince’s middle names may also climb up the charts, so expect to a few more calls for Alexander and Louis on the playground in the coming years.

Popular names are often influenced by popular cultural figures, characters from TV, film and literature, and celebrity baby names. What predictions do you have for the popular baby names of 2013?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

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