Noah and Olivia Reign Supreme Again in Baby Name Charts
Choosing a name for your newborn just got easier—or trickier! The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed the hottest baby names of 2022 in England and Wales, and the winners are no surprise.
Top Boys and Girls Names of 2022
Noah topped the boys’ list for the second year running, while Olivia held onto her crown as the most popular girls’ name for the seventh year straight. But there’s fresh blood in the rankings, with Isabella breaking into the girls’ top 10, knocking Willow off the list. For boys, Theodore, Theo, and Freddie have pushed out former favourites Harry, Archie, and Henry.
Regional Trends and New Entrants Shake Up the List
Regionally, Muhammad was the boys’ favourite in four out of nine English regions. As for girls, Olivia dominated everywhere except London, where Amelia took the top spot.
New entries shaking up the top 100 include Leon, Elias, Musa, Axel, and Ibrahim for boys, while Ophelia, Ottilie, Eloise, Nova, and Fatima made their mark among girls. Meanwhile, names like Charles, Harvey, Ollie, Nathan, Beatrice, Anna, Holly, Heidi, and Amber fell out of favour.
Welsh pride shines through with names like Mali, Seren, and Eira making the girls’ top 50 in Wales, and Arthur, Osian, Elis, Harri, and Jac ranking in the boys’ top 30.
The Top 10 Baby Names for England and Wales
Boys:
- Noah
- Muhammad
- George
- Oliver
- Leo
- Arthur
- Oscar
- Theodore
- Theo
- Freddie
Girls:
- Olivia
- Amelia
- Isla
- Ava
- Lily
- Ivy
- Freya
- Florence
- Isabella
- Mia
“Noah and Olivia remain consistent favourites,” said James Tucker from the ONS. “The rise of Theodore, Theo, and Freddie for boys, along with Isabella for girls, shows parents are eyeing fresh options.”
These latest stats offer a handy cheat sheet for new parents desperate to pick the perfect name—and a fascinating snapshot of naming trends across England and Wales.
