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
Bill		Boy	Helmet; Protector
Kal		Boy	The strong one; Freeman; Tomorrow
Arush-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Guide-To-Popularity-&-Variations		Boy	Dawn; Red; Rising sun; Good-tempered; Calm
Stefano		Boy	Crown
Pavan		Girl	Purification; Breeze
Timmy-Name-Meaning-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Boy	To honor God
Lemar-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Sea; Land famous
Murad:-Complete-Guide-To-Pronunciation,-Meaning-&-Popularity		Boy	Desired purpose; Wish
Lamar		Boy	Of the sea; Liquid gold
Lemuel		Boy	Devoted to God
Kazi		Boy	Judge; Respect
Hanzalah		Boy	Pond; Water channel; Ditch
Aadi-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity:-Complete-Guide		Boy	First; Most important; Beginning
Blaze		Girl	Stutters; Lisping; Fire
Tye		Boy	Enclosed piece of land; Large area of pasture; People
Raiyan		Unisex	Watered; Luxuriant; Heaven's gate
Muaz		Boy	Protected; Guarded; The one who will lead the scholars into Paradise
Darby		Boy	Deer park; Deer settlement; Son of Diarmuid or Dermot
Rakeem		Boy	Kind; Compassionate
Tyrion-Name-Origin-And-Meaning:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Of Tyre
Zian		Unisex	Adornment; Strength; Life; Holy fairy; First
Ralfs		Boy	A variant of Ralph; Wolf counsel
Mordechai		Boy	A great soldier; One who worships Marduk; Servant of Marduk
Anmol		Unisex	One who is invaluable
Ty		Boy	Rock; Sharp; Silk
Ilias-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Complete-Guide		Unisex	My God is Yahweh
Ranulph		Boy	Shield-wolf
Constantine-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Steadfast; Firm
Rayen-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity:-Complete-Guide		Girl	Flower
Haitham		Boy	young eagle
Loukas		Boy	From Lucania; Light
Jaime		Boy	Supplanter; One who follows; Holder of the heel
Kadir-Baby-Name-Guide:-Meaning,-Origin-&-Popularity		Boy	Capable; Mighty; Powerful
Mivaan		Boy	The rays of the sun; Sunrays of God
Daksh-Name-Meaning-And-Popularity:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Son of Brahma
Dafydd		Boy	A beloved boy; Uncle
Ziyaan		Boy	Adornment; Purple jewel
Ousman		Boy	Baby bustard; Wise; Dragon cub
Habib-Name-Origin,-Meaning,-And-History:-Ultimate-Guide		Boy	Beloved; Darling
Gwilym		Boy	Will helmet
Azlaan		Boy	Lion; Brave
Jagger		Boy	Carter; Peddler
Gustavo		Boy	Staff of the Gods
Atharv-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-Popularity-&-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Calm and composed; Serene; Peaceful; Stable; Knowledgeable
Macaulay-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin-And-History		Boy	Son of Amhalghadh
Kaisan		Boy	Wise; Mountain opener
Gurveer		Boy	Warrior of the Guru; Brave and Courageous defender of the Guru
Anish		Boy	Supreme; Ultimate; Greatest authority; Without a ruler; Lord Shiva
Krishan-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-Variations-&-Popularity-Guide		Boy	A variant name of Lord Krishna;
Dennie		Boy	Follower of Dionysius; The Dane's village
Nova-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Complete-Guide-For-Baby-Girls		Girl	New; New star
Ennis		Boy	Island; One strength
Chidera		Unisex	God is here
Caine		Boy	To get; Acquired; Spear; Son of warrior
Izaak-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-Popularity:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	To laugh; He will rejoice
Nihaal		Boy	Satisfied; Comfortable; Cheerful; Drink
Shivansh:-Complete-Baby-Name-Guide-With-Meaning-&-Popularity		Boy	A part of Lord Shiva
Sully-Name-Meaning,-History-&-Popularity:-Complete-2025-Guide		Unisex	Dark eyes; To stain
Sheldon-Name:-Complete-Guide-To-Origin,-Meaning-&-History		Unisex	From the steep valley
Alp		Boy	Hero; Brave
Shaylan:-Complete-Guide-To-Meaning,-Popularity-&-Traits		Boy	Lovely eyes; Intelligent; God's gift
Makai		Boy	Who is like God; Ocean
Nigel		Boy	Hero; Dark-haired; Black; Cloud; Fury; Passion
Torben		Boy	Thor's bear; Thunder bear
Boe-Name-Meaning-&-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide-For-2025		Boy	To live
Shakeel		Boy	Handsome; Well-formed
Shad		Boy	Happy; Battle
Oaklee		Unisex	Oak clearing; From the oak meadow
Marlowe		Boy	Remnants of a lake
Kaysen-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Son of the marsh-dwellers
Sehaj		Unisex	Innate; Original; Natural; Inborn
Sarim		Boy	Sharp sword; Brave; To cut; Courageous; He who is wise
Keshav		Boy	Lord Vishnu; One who has beautiful long hair; Slayer of Kesi demon
Shyam		Boy	Dark blue; Black; Hindu god Krishna
Andi		Boy	Manly; Masculine; Man
Sahir		Boy	Wakeful
Dash		Boy	To run or sprint; One from Chiel
Anwar		Boy	Radiance; More luminous
Joby		Boy	Persecuted; Hated
Zeno		Unisex	Sky god; Sky or shine
Rollo		Boy	A notable, acclaimed wolf
Matin		Boy	Sturdy; Firm; Solid
Kingston-Name-Meaning-And-History:-A-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	King's town; Farmstead estate
Jujhar		Boy	Firefly; Radiant personality
Konstantinos		Boy	Constant; Steadfast
Nimrod-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-and-History:-The-Complete-Guide		Boy	Rebel; A mighty hunter before the Lord
Giulio		Boy	Youthful; Downy-bearded
Isaak		Boy	He will laugh; He will rejoice
Beck		Boy	Stream; To tie
Kaidan		Boy	Companion; Friend; Warrior
Royce		Boy	Rose; Ruddy; Of renowned king
Gianni		Boy	God is gracious
Buzz		Boy	Buzz; Hum; Murmur
Zaidan		Boy	To increase
Skyler		Unisex	Scholar; Sky; Cloud
Errol		Boy	Warrior; Nobleman
Johann		Boy	God is gracious
Lochlann		Boy	Viking, Scandinavian; Land of the lakes
Link-Baby-Name:-Meaning,-History-&-Popularity-In-2025		Boy	Lake colony; Name of an English city
Isak		Boy	He will laugh; He will rejoice

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