Top Baby Names In UK For 2018

Names loved and approved by parents in the UK.

In the olden days, parents often chose baby names from the Bible, like David (beloved) or Elizabeth (my God is an oath). And even though these names are still popular today, the top UK baby names in 2018 indicate that parents are also considering options without religious significance. In 2018, Oliver (olive tree planter) topped the list as the most popular boy’s name, while Olivia (olive tree) was the favorite for girls in the UK. This indicated that parents are willing to explore new and fresh names.

Royal names like Harry (home ruler), George (farmer), Isabella (pledged to God), and Charlotte (free man) were also popular as these names indicated elegance and nobility. At the same time, simple names such as Max (the greatest), Eva (Mother of life), Finley (fair warrior), and Millie (gentle strength) also found a place on the popularity chart as parents were attracted to their deep meaning and innocent charm. The list below consists of the most popular baby names in the UK, compiled by the Office for National Statistics (1). Have a look to find a trendy and meaningful name for your little one.

In This Article

Browse Top Baby Names by Gender

Girl Boy

Browse Top Baby Names by Year

Name		Gender	Meaning
Affan		Boy	Chaste; Modest; Pure
August-Name-Meaning:-Origins,-History-&-Popularity-In-2025		Boy	Respected; Esteemed; Venerable; Exalted
Gus		Boy	Exalted; Majestic; Great; Venerable
Salman		Boy	To be safe
Lucien		Boy	Light; To shine; Glow
Jeevan		Boy	Life; Bringer of life
Mihai		Boy	There's no one like the great God
Damon		Boy	To tame; Agile
Mariya		Girl	Greatly loved; Sea of bitterness
Malak		Girl	Angel
Elaina		Girl	Sun; Sunshine; Bright
Jiya		Girl	Living or lived; Sweetheart
Zaynah-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Girl	Beauty; Grace
Roseanna		Girl	Famous type; Favor; Grace
Anwen		Girl	Very fair; Blessed; White; Beautiful
Tianna		Girl	A Christian; Follower of Jesus Christ
Hadiya-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-Popularity-&-What-You-Need-To-Know		Girl	Leader; Guide
Malia		Girl	Bitter; Star of the sea; A wished for child
Aairah		Girl	Noble; Honorable
Nella		Girl	Torch; Moon; Highly praiseworthy; Shining one
Danielle		Girl	God is my judge
Aamina-Name-Meaning,-History,-Popularity:-Complete-Guide		Girl	Feel safe; Protected; Honest; Loyal; Devoted; Faithful; Obedient of Imam
Haya-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Complete-Guide-For-2025		Girl	Hurry; Come quickly; Life; Feathers universally
Lilianna		Girl	Lily; Purity; Innocence
Lilith		Girl	Of the night
Kenzie-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Girl	Handsome; Beautiful; Good
Hakeem		Boy	Wise; Ruler
Marius		Boy	Manly; Dedicated to Mars
Luqman		Boy	Wise
Chaim		Boy	Life
Tommie		Unisex	Twin
Sebastien		Boy	From Sebaste; Venerable; Exalted
Nojus		Boy	Christmas; Rest; Comfort
Carlos		Boy	Free man; Army
Kendrick		Boy	Royal ruler; Bold Power; Chief hero; Greatest champion
Chris		Boy	Follower of Christ; Bearer of Christ
Zayne		Boy	God is gracious; Grace; Beauty
Dev		Unisex	God; Bee; Calf; Dark little one
Harlow		Unisex	Rock hill; Army hill
Dilan		Boy	Heart; Compassionate; Tide; Flow
Buster		Boy	Tough guy; Pockmark; Boil
Ricardo		Boy	Powerful ruler
Yasir		Boy	To be rich; To become easy
Alya		Girl	Sky; Heaven; Loftiness; To ascend
Huda-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Right guidance
Florrie		Girl	Prosperous; Flourishing; Flower
Sanaya		Girl	Ancient; One that will last forever
Maliha		Girl	Woman with a glowing, happy face; Beautiful; Salt
Layan		Girl	Soft; Delicate; Gentle; Prosperous; Resthouse
Heather-Name-Meaning-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Evergreen flowering plant 30
Annika		Girl	Grace; Favor
Caoimhe		Girl	Beautiful; Dear; Beloved; Gentle
Nansi		Girl	Grace; Favor; Beautiful; Chaste
Alissa-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Noble; Kind; Nobility; Madness
Zunairah-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Unisex	Moonlight; Shine of the moon
Farrah		Girl	Happy feeling; Pleasant
Sandra		Girl	Defender of the people; Protector of humanity
Viola		Unisex	Violet; A flowering plant
Eilidh-Name-Meaning,-Origin-&-Pronunciation:-Essential-Guide		Girl	Torch or corposant; Moon; Radiant one
Miruna:-Complete-Guide-To-Pronunciation,-Meaning-&-Popularity		Girl	Peace; To wonder; Astound
Marni		Girl	Of the sea; Mars; The god of war; Warlike; Male; Rejoice
Dollie		Girl	Gift of God; Sorrows
Martyna-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Popularity,-Variants-&-History		Girl	A female warrior of the God Mars; Mars; Dedicated to Mars; Warlike
Gia		Girl	God is gracious
Rayhan		Boy	Favored by God
Osman		Girl	Baby bustard
Rocky		Boy	Rest; Crow; Rook
Lyle		Boy	Island; One from the island
Rishi-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-And-Complete-Guide		Boy	Sage; Poet; To see; Saint; Priest; Wise; Pious; Ascetic
Krystian		Girl	Krysian means He Who belongs to Christian Faith
Ameer-Name-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Prince or ruler; Commander
Krzysztof		Boy	Bearing Christ
Bjorn		Boy	Bear
Denzel		Boy	Fine wine lover; The wild one; High stronghold; Fertile land
Marc		Boy	Warlike; Roman god Mars; Male
Zaydan		Unisex	Growth; Increase
Zayden		Boy	God; Divinity; Growth
Ryker		Boy	Rich; Wealthy; Ruler
Theon		Boy	To shine
Harold-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Ultimate-Guide		Boy	Army king; Commander; Powerful; Mighty
Renzo		Boy	The third son in the family
Alberto		Boy	Noble; Bright; Famous
Charley		Unisex	Free man; Army
Boris		Boy	Snow leopard; Wolf
Eben		Boy	Stone of help
Abdirahman		Boy	Servant of the merciful
Riaan		Boy	Descendant of Rian; Little King; From Hadria
Taran		Boy	Thunder; A raft; A boat; Crossing over
Arman		Boy	Desire; Hope; Wish; From Armenia; Roman
Georgiana		Girl	Farmer; Earth worker
Michalina		Girl	Who is like God?
Husna		Girl	More beautiful
Claire		Girl	Clear; Bright; Famous
Leen		Girl	Tender; Delicate; Brave lion; Torch
Elina		Girl	Bright light
Samara		Girl	Guardian; Protected by God; Companion in night conversation
Kady		Girl	Pure; Each of the two; My consecration of your name; Torture
Zayna-Name-Origin,-Meaning-&-Popularity:-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Beauty and grace; Lovely
Martina-Baby-Name:-Complete-Guide-To-Meaning,-Popularity-&-More		Girl	The god of war; Mars; Dedicated to Mars; Warlike
Chanel		Girl	Dweller by the canal; Bottle-maker

When you look at the list of top UK baby names in 2018, you might feel overwhelmed by the several options. To make the selection easy, start by determining the meaning you want your child’s name to convey. Then focus on the names that match the meaning. Shortlist your favorites, and then choose the one that feels right for your little one. No matter which name you pick, it will always hold a special place in your heart.

Infographic: Popular Nature-inspired Girl Names In The UK

Nature’s freshness can make a person feel calm and rejuvenated. The natural world can help lift your spirits and inspire creativity. That’s why many cultures choose baby names that are connected to nature, and the UK is no different. Take a look at the infographic below for a glimpse of the most popular nature-inspired baby girl names in the country.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team