Retro Baby Names UK: The Most Popular Girls' And Boys' Names From The 1900s | HuffPost Life

Gladys and Leslie are ready for a comeback.

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Life editor at HuffPost UK

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Baby name trends come and go and it seems an increasing number of parents-to-be are choosing names that would have been popular in their great grandparents’ era.

HuffPost UK has looked at baby name data from the Office for National Statistics and found that there are a fair few similarities between the most recent official list of the most popular baby names in England and Wales and the names which were popular in the 1900s.

Girls’ names, such as Florence, Alice, Ivy, Lily and Elsie, were popular both in 1904 and in 2016. There are, however, some girls’ names - Doris, Gladys and Hilda - that were popular in 1904, yet are very rarely used today.

Interestingly, many of the popular boys’ names in 1904 aren’t that dissimilar to those that are popular today, with many still ranking in the top 100.

So whether you’re looking for a retro name that is enjoying a resurgence or something more unique, take inspiration from the lists below.

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We’ve compared the most popular names from 1904 with the most recent baby name data to show how they’re faring today.

The most popular girls’ names in 1904:

1. Mary (Currently #250)

2. Florence (Currently #19)

3. Doris (Currently #2,547)

4. Edith (Currently #96)

5. Dorothy (Currently #274)

6. Annie (Currently #108)

7. Margaret (Currently #423)

8. Alice (Currently #17)

9. Elizabeth (Currently #85)

10. Elsie (Currently #31)

11. Gladys (Currently #4,763)

12. Winifred (Currently #790)

H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock via Getty Images

13. Ethel (Currently #1,834)

14. Hilda (Currently #3,609)

15. Lilian (Currently #630)

16. Ivy (Currently #33)

17. Violet (Currently #85)

18. Kathleen (Currently #938)

19. Ellen (Currently #475)

20. Lily (Currently #7)

21. Sarah (Currently #96)

22. Nellie (Currently #310)

23. Emily (Currently #3)

24. Mabel (Currently #210)

25. Ada (Currently #164).

H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock via Getty Images

The most popular boys’ names in 1904:

1. William (Currently #10)

2. John (Currently #120)

3. George (Currently #3)

4. Thomas (Currently #9)

5. Arthur (Currently #30)

6. James (Currently #12)

7. Charles (Currently #72)

8. Frederick (Currently #76)

9. Albert (Currently #64)

10. Ernest (Currently #320)

11. Alfred (Currently #111)

12. Edward (Currently #23)

13. Joseph (Currently #22)

H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock via Getty Images

14. Harold (Currently #1,123)

15. Robert (Currently #109)

16. Frank (Currently #175)

17. Henry (Currently #15)

18. Harry (Currently #2)

19. Walter (Currently #341)

20. Reginald (Currently #296)

21. Herbert (Currently #672)

22. Leonard (Currently #249)

23. Stanley (Currently #65)

24. Leslie (Currently #4,023)

25. Richard (Currently #278).

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Whether you’re looking for a name that is ‘cool’, ‘cute’, ‘pretty’, or ‘unique’, our Baby Name Generator is here to inspire you. Discover the meaning of your favourite name, browse the 100 most popular baby girl names and baby boy names in England and Wales, or let our Random Name Generator throw up an unusual suggestion.

Before You Go

14 Perfect Baby Names For Children Born In The Winter Months

Robin(01 of14)

Robin is English in origin, and originally became popular because of Robin Hood. Today the name is more closely associated with the British wintery bird - the robin red breast.

Snow(02 of14)

Nothing says winter months like longing for a touch of snow on the ground. Whether you love it or hate it, a white Christmas is symbolic of the season.

Alaska(03 of14)

This might seem like an odd choice for non-Americans, but famous for being a place of temperature extremes, Alaska has beautiful origins, meaning 'great land'.

Noelle(04 of14)

Noelle (or Noel) translates from French to Christmas.

January(05 of14)

Made famous by actress January Jones, this would be a great choice for a baby born in the first month of the year, or for parents who love the new beginnings it represents.

Elsa(06 of14)

The idea of calling your child Elsa might give lots of parents Frozen-related nightmares, but you have to admit, it's pretty wintery.

Holly(07 of14)

What could be more traditional than paying homage to the winter shrub? Holly is a name with English roots.

Paloma(08 of14)

The Spanish name for dove, Paloma is a great choice for a girl.

Neva(09 of14)

In Latin, the word 'nivis' means snow and this has evolved into Neva in the English language. A great choice if you fancy weather-inspired monikers, but want to be less obvious.

Demi(10 of14)

Demeter was the Greek goddess responsible for the arrival of winter. Shortened to Demi this is a great name for a child of the colder months.

Lumi(11 of14)

Meaning snow in Finnish, Lumi is a great choice (even if the most snow we get is some wet slush).

Bianca(12 of14)

Famous for staring in both Shakespeare's 'Othello' and 'The Taming Of The Shrew', Bianca actually translates to white.

Ember(13 of14)

A less conventional choice (sounding a little like Amber), Ember evokes images of cold nights getting cosy by the fire.

Eirwen(14 of14)

Eirwen is a Welsh name (pronouced 'Ay-ren') and roughly translates to white as snow.

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