Top Baby Names In England & Wales 2005

In 2005 Jessica climbed two places to the number one spot, overtaking last years most popular name, Emily. Ellie, last year’s number two name for baby girls, has fallen to sixth position. Olivia is the only new entry to the top five.

Jack has remained the most popular baby boys name for the eleventh year running, although it’s popularity is declining numerically. Fourteen per cent fewer boys were called Jack this year. Oliver has climbed two positions to fifth position, whilst Joshua, Thomas and James all remained unchanged at numbers two three and four.

Leo is the only new entry in the top fifty baby boys names climbing from fifty seven to twenty seven last year.

Parents are becoming more adventurous when choosing names for baby girls. Their top hundred shows a greater variety of names over time and names rise and fall in popularity more frequently than in the boys listing.

2005 saw three brand new entries into the baby girl names Top 50.

• Keira has risen to thirty eighth position
• Scarlett has climbed to forty seventh position.

(Both of these names originate from Hollywood stars, Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson.)

• Libby has climbed from outside the top fifty names to 48.

Other notable climbers are the similar sounding names Evie, Eva and Ava.

Other topical names that have seen a resurgence in popularity include:-

• Alfie (climbed six places to twenty one) and
• Jake (climbed nine places to sixteen.)
• Ruby (climbed sixteen places to fifteen.)
• Demi (climbed to eighty)
• Aleesha (increased in popularity by nearly three hundred places.)

 Eastenders featured characters with all of these names.

Other sources of popular names included:-

• Coronation Street (Frankie has shot up to number one hundred and fifty two in the baby girls names listings.)
• England Cricket Team (Freddie jumped fifteen places to eighty one)
• Celebrity Love Island (Callum jumped from eighteenth to fifteenth position.