Most Popular Baby Names 2016: Top 100 UK Boys' And Girls' Names Released By BabyCentre | HuffPost Life

Find out the biggest risers in the charts and the new entries.

By

Life editor at HuffPost UK

A parenting site has released its official top 100 baby names of 2016, from a survey of more than 70,000 parents.

Olivia has retained her top spot for girls’ names, but Oliver has overtaken Muhammad to be the top boys’ name throughout the year.

BabyCentre’s baby name survey includes the names chosen by 76,993 (41,158 boys and 35,775 girls) members who gave birth in 2016.

The site has found space themes, superheroes and celebrities have influenced new entries to the baby names list this year.

“Luna is one of the highest new entries and with 2016 being all about Major Tim Peake’s epic space adventure, Star Wars and super moons, it’s no wonder names like this have seen a rise,” said Sarah Redshaw, managing editor of BabyCentre.

Leanne Temme via Getty Images

Nova, Orion and Luna have all increased in popularity and even the name Jupiter has been spotted. Star Wars names Leia, Kylo, and Finn have all had a boost. And Ezra, from spin-off animation Star Wars Rebels, has risen in popularity.

In terms of celebrity influence, Rolling Stones’ legend Ronnie Woods calling his twin girls Gracie and Alice caused many other parents to follow suit, with both names rapidly gaining popularity in 2016.

Jamie Oliver’s name choice for his new baby boy, River, saw a last minute surge in popularity, with more babies called River than ever before.

Coleen and Wayne Rooney’s baby name choices are also proving popular, with Kai a new entry to the top 100, and twice as many babies called Kit and Klay compared to last year.

Camille Tokerud via Getty Images

Biggest risers in the baby name charts include Jenson, up 31 spots to number 62, Stanley, up 21 spots to number 77 and Darcie, which rose 26 places to sit at number 34.

The highest new entries to the top 100 include Arlo, Ezra, Kai, Jesse and Albie for boys and Mya, Luna, Lexi, Heidi and Lyla for girls.

Here are the top 10 girls’ and boys’ names, including how their ranking compares to the 2015 results.

The top 10 girls’ names

1. Olivia (non-mover)

2. Lily (+1 place)

3. Sophia (-1 place)

4. Emily (non-mover)

5. Amelia (non-mover)

6. Ava (new entry, +5 places)

7. Isla (new entry, +5 places)

8. Isabella (+2 places)

9. Isabelle (-2 places)

10. Sophie (-2 places)

The top 10 boys’ names

1. Oliver (+1 place)

2. Muhammed (-1 place)

3. Noah (+1 place)

4. Harry (+2 places)

5. Jack (-2 places)

6. Charlie (+1 place)

7. Jacob (-2 places)

8. George (+4 places)

9. Ethan (-1 places)

10. Henry (+8 places).

You can view the full charts of the top 100 boys’ names and top 100 girls’ names on BabyCentre.

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

Retro Baby Names Making A Comeback

Aurelia(01 of08)

Aurelia is the female form of the Roman classic Aurelius and was (unsurprisingly) most popular during the Roman Empire. The beautiful name is pronounced “Aw-REEL-ya” and means “the golden one.” According to Nameberry, Aurelia was one of the fastest-rising baby names in 2013 and in the following year, it broke the U.S. top 1,000 list to sit at number 832. (credit:Blend Images - Mike Kemp via Getty Images)

Emmett(02 of08)

While the name Emmett is on rise for both genders in 2016, it’s actually starting to gain more popularity among girls. Emma and Emily have always been longtime favourites among parents, Emmett is a rare alternative with a fresh sound. While the name does seem masculine, Nameberry points out that some parents have added an “e” to the end to give the moniker a more feminine look and feel.The name originally peaked in popularity in the 1880s, but has gained a lot of attention in recent years. In 2014, Emmett was number 156 for boys, likely due to the craze of the “Twilight” series which featured a character with the same name. (credit:Thomas Northcut via Getty Images)

Ruby(03 of08)

The name Ruby is very much a part of pop culture, which is likely why it’s experiencing a boost in popularity. Not only is the name found in music, such as the Rolling Stones’ song “Ruby Tuesday,” but also in film characters, such as Ruby (Renée Zellweger) in “Cold Mountain.” Ruby was highly popular between 1900 and 1936. During that time, the name was consistently in the top 50 list for girls. In 2013, Ruby finally cracked back into the top 100 list and the following year, sat at number 90. (credit:Tara Moore via Getty Images)

Felix(04 of08)

The name Felix can be dated back to the Bible, but the moniker didn’t hit its peak in popularity until 1910. Although the moniker has fallen off the charts since then, it’s quickly making a comeback thanks to its “x” ending, which gives it its cool factor. Felix, which means “happy and fortunate,” was number 267 for boys in 2014. (credit:Camille Tokerud via Getty Images)

June(05 of08)

June is one of those names that seem more popular than it really is. In the 1920s, this moniker was incredibly common, but its popularity has died down quite a bit since then. June only cracked the top 1,000 again in 2008 and in 2014, it was number 317 for girls. Today, the moniker is gaining popularity among boys as well, since it is a variation of the Latin name Junius, meaning “born in June.” (credit:Peter Dazeley via Getty Images)

August(06 of08)

Surprisingly, August was one of the top 100 U.S. baby names in the 1800s. Today, it’s gaining popularity among boys and girls because it’s unique without being too over-the-top. In 2014, the moniker sat at number 242 on the top U.S. baby name list for boys. Additionally, many celebrities such as Charlize Theron, Garth Brooks and Mariska Hargitay have kids with the name August, which only adds to the moniker’s recent popularity. (credit:Noah Clayton via Getty Images)

Hazel(07 of08)

This trendy, old school name is making a comeback thanks to celebrities and pop culture. Back in 2004, Julia Roberts named one of her twins Hazel and in 2014, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski chose the same name for their daughter. The moniker also gained even more traction in 2014 after the YA novel “The Fault in Our Stars” was turned into a movie, since Hazel is the name of the book’s heroine. Hazel was highly popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Although it began to dip in the charts starting in the 1950s and onwards, the rise of nature names has also added to its sudden boost in popularity. (credit:Camille Tokerud via Getty Images)

Ava(08 of08)

Ava is a prime example of how retro baby names can make a successful comeback. Believe it or not, Ava is an ancient name. The moniker was actually first popularized back in 845 (yes, you read that right!) by St. Ava, a woman who was cured of blindness and became a nun. Since then, the moniker’s popularity has tapered off, only to begin rising again in the late '90s. In the past few years, Ava has managed to remain on the top 10 baby name list for girls. (credit:sot via Getty Images)

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