SPELLING
Exact, never grouped
The ONS bases its statistics on the exact spelling on the birth certificate, because grouping similar names would be subjective.
Check a nameWHAT THE STATISTICS SAY
Every spelling
counts.
Baby name rankings start at the register office.
Check a name
EXACT SPELLINGnever grouped
Official statistics for England and Wales come from the first names written on birth registrations. The ONS counts each exact spelling separately, which shapes every top 10 you read about.
At a glance
- Spellings stay separate
- Rare names stay private
- Seasons leave a mark
- How the counting works
35,000
Unique names and spellings for baby girls
Compared with 29,560 for boys in 2023. The ONS says parents choose from a smaller pool of boys' names, so each boys' name is more common.
VARIETY · ONS 2023
42 days
Days to register a birth in England, Wales and NI
The name, surname and sex of the baby are among the details you give at registration, usually at the local register office.
REGISTRATION · GOV.UK
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Girls' names vary more,
and the clock starts early.
One figure on how varied names are,
one on when they are recorded.
Sources: ONS, Baby names in England and Wales: 2023 (released 5 December 2024); GOV.UK, Register a birth.
A QUICK NAME CHECK
How would
it be counted?
Pick a kind of name to see how the ONS handles it in the England and Wales statistics. The bar shows how closely the published count matches the name exactly as written.
Based on the ONS Baby names quality and methodology information and the Baby names in England and Wales: 2023 bulletin.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Rankings count
spellings, not sounds.
Similar-sounding names are kept apart,
so you can group them yourself.
SEASONS
Names follow the calendar
In 2023 Holly, Robyn and Joseph were most popular in December, Poppy in November, and Summer in June and July.
More patterns
REGISTERING
It starts with registration
Births in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days. The first name recorded then is what the ONS counts.
How it works
HOW THE NUMBERS ARE MADE
From register
to ranking.
The ONS publishes ranks and counts every year. Knowing how they are built helps you read the headlines.
A birth is registered
First names are recorded when live births are registered in England and Wales, as part of civil registration, which is a legal requirement.
Names are cleaned lightly
Automated processing removes accents and joins hyphenated names. Otherwise the exact spelling is kept.
Rare names are held back
Names with counts of fewer than three are not released, so uncommon names cannot be linked to individual children.
Ranks and counts are published
The latest dataset, released on 9 July 2026, covers ranks and counts for boys and girls from 1996 to 2025.
PATTERNS IN THE DATA
Places and seasons
shape the list.
In 2023 the top girls' names in England and Wales were Olivia, Amelia and Isla, and the top boys' names were Muhammad, Noah and Oliver. Olivia has been the top girls' name since 2016.
Wales has its own favourites: Osian ranked 9th in Wales but 728th in England, and Mali 16th in Wales but 1,222nd in England. Weekday names such as Sunday and Wednesday also rose for girls in 2023.
Questions
Questions people ask
Where do baby name statistics come from?
From first names recorded when live births are registered in England and Wales. The ONS says civil registration is a legal requirement, which makes it the most complete data source available.
Are similar-sounding spellings counted together?
No. The ONS counts each exact spelling separately and does not group similar names, because groupings are subjective. Users can create their own groupings.
Why can I not find my child's unusual name?
The ONS does not release names with counts of fewer than three in England and Wales, to protect the confidentiality of individuals.
What were the most popular names in 2023?
In the ONS 2023 bulletin, the top girls' names were Olivia, Amelia and Isla, and the top boys' names were Muhammad, Noah and Oliver.
Is there newer data than 2023?
Yes. The ONS has discontinued the written bulletin but still publishes datasets; the edition released on 9 July 2026 covers 1996 to 2025.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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