They are the names that have stood the test of time - transcending trends in fashion and popular culture to be picked by parents again and again. Research carried out by the Office for National Statistics on baby names has revealed the 15 that have been consistently popular over the last 100 years.
Just 15 have made the list of the top 100 baby names every decade since the 1920s. A number of traditional English names also come out on top,
However just two names for girls make the cut. This could suggest parents have become more bold in their choices for their daughters, Chronicle Live reports - although it could also show that girls names do not stand the test of time quite as well as their counterparts for boys.
For instance, Gwendoline, Doris, and Vera were all staples of the 1920s, before being replaced by choices such as Robyn, Harriet, and Zoe in later decades. The list also includes a number of British names favoured by the monarchy such as George, Charles, and Elizabeth.
The ONS also points out: "The appearance of Mohammed in the top 100 is not such a new phenomenon – the first time this name entered the top 100 was in 1924 when it ranked as the 91st most popular name for baby boys. This was not a blip as the name has featured in the top 100 most popular names for baby boys every ten years from 1924 to 1994 and every year since 1996."
My Nametags analysed baby name data for registered births in England and Wales from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) between the 1920s and 2010s. Here are the most enduring 15 names:
The Most Popular Baby Names: 1921-2021
- Alexander
- Charles
- Daniel
- David
- Edward
- Elizabeth
- George
- James
- Joseph
- Michael
- Mohammed
- Robert
- Sarah
- Thomas
- William
