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
Ahsan		Boy	Most handsome; Most beautiful
Quinton-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Your-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Fifth; Queen's town
Quincy		Unisex	Fifth; Fifth born
Yakov		Boy	Supplanter; May God protect; Holder of the heel
Valentin		Unisex	Strong; Healthy
Keir-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-And-Popularity:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Girl	Dark; Thicket
Adriel		Boy	Flock of God
Faizaan		Boy	Successful; Ruler; Benefit; Generous
Humphrey-Baby-Name:-Origin,-Meaning-&-Popularity-Complete-Guide		Boy	Peaceful warrior; To bestow peace
Sudais		Boy	Six; One in six; To be fair
Ira		Unisex	Warrior; Period of time: To be chosen; Fern; Watchful; Enjoyment; Devoted
Faisal		Boy	Judge; Arbiter; Separator between good and bad
Derek		Boy	The people's ruler
Marlow		Boy	Remnants of a lake; Driftwood
Cezar		Boy	Hairy
Eddison		Boy	Son of Eda; Son of Adam
Hamdan		Boy	The praised one
Jarvis		Boy	Spear; With Honor
Codie		Girl	The son of Oda; Descendant of the helpful one
Khaled		Boy	Eternal; To last forever
Manveer-Name-Guide:-Meaning,-Pronunciation-&-Popularity		Girl	One with a brave mind; Brave spirit
Keanu		Unisex	Cool breeze over the mountains
Yuvan		Boy	Youthful; God is gracious
Oran		Boy	Tan; Little green one; Singing in light
Oren		Boy	Pine tree; Ash tree
Landon-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History-&-Popularity-Guide		Boy	Long hill
Kallum		Boy	Dove
Siddharth-Name-Meaning-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Successful; Prosperous; One who has accomplished a goal or objective; Lord Shiva; White mustard; Fig tree
Blue-Baby-Name-Meaning,-History,-And-Comprehensive-Guide		Unisex	Blue color
Sukhmani		Girl	Jewel of peace and prosperity
Taliyah		Girl	Dew from god
Chantelle		Girl	Song; Stone
Khushi:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin,-Meaning-&-Popularity		Girl	Happiness; Joy; Pleasure; Delight
Selma		Girl	God's protection; God's helmet; Safe; Beautiful vew; Peace
Madina		Girl	City of the Prophet
Elliana		Girl	My God has answered; Sun; Light of favor
Alena		Girl	Torch; Corposant; Tower; Ray of light; Moon
Nirvana-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Girl	Ultimate bliss; Liberated; Salvation; Extinguished; Blown out
Hajrah		Girl	The wife of Prophet Ibrahim
Amaiya		Unisex	The end
Sianna		Girl	God is gracious
Aleah		Girl	Rising; Height; Exalted; Champion
Areesha		Girl	Built structure; Shade; Shelter; Throne
Johanna		Girl	God is gracious
Aanya		Girl	Compassion; God's favor; Inexhuastible; Gracious; Strength; Power
Cece		Girl	Blind
Jorja		Girl	Farmer
Camila:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin,-Meaning-&-Popularity-In-2025		Girl	Religious attendant; Priest's helper
Alaia		Girl	Joyful; Happy; Lofty
Ayanna-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Girl	Flower; Silent
Alarna:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Meaning,-Pronunciation-&-More		Unisex	Beautiful light
Sumaiya		Girl	High above
Naima		Girl	Pleasantness; Tranquil; Happy; At ease
Dorothea		Girl	Gift of God
Carrie		Girl	Man; Freeholder
Azra		Girl	Virgin; Maiden
Faryal		Girl	Splendor; Neck
Betsie		Unisex	Worshipper of God; Daughter
Suki		Girl	A beloved woman
Luciana		Girl	Light; Illumination
Kali		Girl	Goddess that destroys evil; The black one
Blaine-Name-Meaning,-Origin-&-History:-Ultimate-Baby-Name-Guide		Girl	Yellow
Yassin		Unisex	36th chapter of the Quran
Abdallah		Boy	Servant of God; Servant of Allah
Roan-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-And-Popularity		Boy	A raven; Red-haired; From the rowan tree
Artie-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-And-Key-Insights		Boy	Bear; Bear-like; Stone; Bold
Dan-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-History,-And-Popularity-In-2025		Boy	God is my judge; A Dane; Valley
Cristiano		Boy	Follower of Christ; Clever and judicious person
Brady		Boy	Spirited; Descendant of Brádach
Yusef		Boy	He will add
Ephraim		Boy	Fruitful; Productive
Digby		Boy	Farm; Settlement; Ditch
Ruaridh		Boy	Red king
Aaran		Boy	Light bringer; Exalted; Enlightened; Strong; Mountain of strength
Bernardo-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Everything-You-Need-To-Know		Boy	Bold as a bear
Kole-Name-Meaning:-Guide-To-Origin,-Popularity-&-Nicknames		Boy	People's victory; Charcoal
Ivaan		Boy	God is gracious; Ruler
Nile		Boy	Fury; Passion; Cloud; Hero; Victory of the people; River; Champion
Uthman		Boy	Baby bustard
Edan		Boy	Era; Fire
Henrik-Name-Meaning-&-Origins:-A-Comprehensive-2025-Guide		Boy	Lord of the house; Estate ruler 80
Rhodri		Boy	Wheel king
Anay		Boy	Lord Krishna; One who has no leader; Misfortune; Goat
Kamari		Girl	Moon; The adversary of desire; Gambling; Shiva
Alyan		Unisex	Lofty; Elevated; High
Ionut		Boy	Romanian form of John; God Is gracious
Russell		Boy	A little red one; Red-haired
Raffaele		Girl	God has healed
Kayan		Boy	King; Leader; High status
Zaiden		Boy	God; Divinity; Growth
Razvan		Boy	To make happy; Satisfaction; Contentment
Saxon		Boy	Swordsman
Younes		Unisex	Dove
Joss		Boy	A member of the Gauts tribe; Joyful; He will add
Rishaan		Boy	Sage; Saint; Strong; Epithet of Lord Shiva
Jawad		Boy	Generous
Salvador		Boy	Savior
Jon		Boy	God is gracious
Saeed-Name:-Ultimate-Guide-To-Meaning,-Popularity,-And-More		Boy	Happy; Lucky; Fortunate; Felicity
Eddy		Boy	Rich protector; Rich guard

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