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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
David Morton & David Flett

The 15 most popular baby names of the last century (there's no Olivia or Liam)

Olivia and Liam might have been the most popular babies' names last year but will they still be in favour come 2122? According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, 15 names have made it into the top-100 most popular for every decade since the 1920s, reports the Newcastle Chronicle.

Monarchic Monikers such as Charles, Elizabeth and George all feature among that durable 15, of which 13 are boys' names, suggesting parents are more adventurous in their choices for girls. To illustrate that greater variety, 339 different girls' names have appeared in the top 100 between the 1920s and 2010s compared to 276 of the opposite sex.

Girls' names also appear less likely to stand the test of time with 1920s' staples Gwendoline, Doris and Vera having been long since superseded by the likes of Robyn, Harriet and Zoe. The analysis, conducted by mynametags.com, also revealed a more relaxed attitude towards nicknames in more recent decades.

For example, Alexander is among the 15 names boasting the greatest longevity over the past century, but Alex only became popular in its own right in the 1980s. Tony, Danny and Josh have also become more prevalent as the years have passed.

In the 1920s, meanwhile, only three shortened versions of names made the top 100 - Harry, Roy and Fred, compared to 15 in the 2010s, which include the likes of Ollie, Teddy and Freddie.

The Most Popular Baby Names: 1921-2021

Alexander

Charles

Daniel

David

Edward

Elizabeth

George

James

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Joseph

Michael

Mohammed

Robert

Sarah

Thomas

William

Label manufacturing company My Nametags studied baby name data for registered births in England and Wales from the ONS between the 1920s and 2010s. Visit the My Nametags website to find out more about the meanings of the most popular names and why they may have remained in fashion.

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