The most popular baby names of 2018

Emma has unseated Ava as the number one name for baby girls, rising to the top of the list of the most popular names for babies born in 2018. William maintains the number one spot as the most popular name chosen for baby boys for the 12th straight year.

The top 10 names parents chose for their new babies born in 2018* are as follows:

Girls

1. Emma

2. Ava

3. Olivia

4. Harper

5. Amelia

6. Charlotte

7. Isabella

8. Elizabeth

9. Evelyn

10. Abigail

Boys

1.William

2.James

3. Liam

4. Elijah

5. Noah

6. Jackson

7. Mason

8. Grayson

9.John

10. Oliver

*provisional data

Emma returns to the top spot for names of baby girls, which she had held since 2011 until overtaken in 2017 by Ava. Evelyn is a new addition to the top ten list of girls’ names for 2018, with Ella dropping from the list since last year. All other names in the top ten list for girls are the same as in 2017, but have changed in ranking.

Oliver is the new arrival on the top ten list of boys’ names for 2018, with Samuel falling off the list since 2017. William has been the most popular name chosen for baby boys since 2007. All other names in the top ten list for boys made the list in 2017 as well, but have changed in ranking with the exception of Mason, which also ranked at number seven last year.