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
Bran		Boy	A raven; A blackbird that resembles a crow
Brecon-Name-Ultimate-Guide-To-Pronunciation,-Popularity-&-More		Unisex	Speckled; Freckled
Bright		Unisex	Bright town
Caidan		Boy	Son of Cadáin
Cailan-Baby-Name:-Irish-Origin,-Meaning,-Popularity-&-Nicknames		Boy	Slender; Petite; Thin
Calan		Boy	Victorious; Descendant of Cathalán
Canaan		Boy	Low; Humble
Cary-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-What-You-Need-To-Know		Boy	Black; Free man
Cayde-Baby-Name-Complete-Guide:-Meaning,-Origin-&-Popularity		Unisex	Round; Battle
Cecil		Boy	Blind
Cem		Boy	Twin
Channing		Boy	Member of the Church; Young wolf; Wise
Claudio		Boy	Differently abled; Crippled
Collins		Boy	Descendant of Coileán; Descendant of Colin
Cosmin		Boy	Order; Decency
Cruze		Unisex	Cross
Dahir		Unisex	Virtuous; Pure; Chaste
Damion		Boy	One who tames
Dani		Girl	God is my judge
Daragh		Unisex	Of Oak; Fruitful; Fertile
Daryan-Name-Meaning:-Origin,-Pronunciation-&-Numerology-Guide		Boy	City in East Azerbaijan; One who possesses goodness; Sea
Dave-Name-Origin-And-Meaning-In-2025:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Beloved; Uncle
Deandre-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-And-History:-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Manly; Masculine
Demari		Unisex	One who lives a long life; One who builds
Dempsey		Boy	Proud; Haughty
Derrick		Boy	Ruler of the people
Dior-Name-Meaning-And-History:-A-Complete-Guide		Unisex	Golden
Diyar-Name-Meaning:-Guide-To-Origin,-Popularity-&-Traits		Boy	Clear; Visible; Apparent
Dmitri		Boy	Earth lover; Follower of Demeter
Doruk-Baby-Name-Guide:-Meaning,-Pronunciation-&-Popularity		Boy	Top of the mountain
Dougal		Boy	Dark stranger
Drey-Name-Guide:-Meaning,-Pronunciation,-Popularity-&-More		Unisex	Manly; Masculine
Eason		Boy	Son of Eda; Son of Adam
Edi		Girl	Rich guard; Beautiful; Good
Edin		Boy	Delight; Place of pleasure; Religion; Fire; Rich friend
Edvinas		Boy	A kind and rich friend
Eeshan-Name-Meaning:-A-Complete-Guide-To-Origins-&-Popularity		Boy	God; Supreme Being; Creator and Protector of this universe; One of the many names of Lord Shiva
Efrem		Boy	Fruitful
Ehaan		Boy	Full moon; A full bright moon
Eito		Boy	Glorious person; Honorable scholar
Eliel		Boy	My God is God
Ellery-Name-Meaning,-Origin,-and-Everything-You-Need-To-Know		Unisex	Cheerful; Alder tree
Elvin		Boy	Noble; Wise; Elf; Friend
Emilian-Name-Meaning:-Popularity,-Nicknames-&-Numerology		Boy	Rival; Name of a town in Italy
Emils		Boy	Eager; A variant of Emile
Emin		Boy	Truthful; Loyal; One who believes in God
Erdem-Name-Meaning:-Guide-To-Pronunciation,-Popularity-&-More		Unisex	Virtue; Knowledge; Wisdom
Erdi-Name-Complete-Guide:-Meaning,-Origin,-Pronunciation-&-More		Unisex	Smell of knowledge
Eros-Baby-Name-Meaning,-Origin-&-Pronunciation:-Complete-Guide		Boy	Love
Espen-Name-Meaning-And-Origin:-A-Complete-Guide		Boy	God's bear; Divine bear
Ezaan		Boy	Obedience; Submission
Ezel		Unisex	Past eternity; Departure
Fahim		Boy	Scholar; Intelligent; Wise; Learned
Faiyaz		Boy	An artistic boy; Judge; Esthetic; Leader; Helper
Fawaz-Name-Guide:-Pronunciation,-Popularity-&-Numerology		Boy	A man who is a winner
Feliks		Boy	A lucky and successful man
Ferguson-Name-Complete-Guide:-Origin,-Meaning,-History-&-More		Boy	Son of Fergus; Manly strength; Masculine force
Fidel		Boy	Faithful
Filipe		Boy	A person who loves horses
Fineas		Boy	Serpent's mouth; Nubian
Finleigh		Unisex	White warrior
Francois-Name-Meaning,-History-&-Variations-Comprehensive-Guide		Boy	Frenchman; Freeman; Germanic tribe
Gabe		Boy	God is my strength; Man of God; To protect; To give glory
Gadi		Boy	Lucky; Fortunate
Gautam		Boy	Lord Buddha; A name of Lord Buddha; One who dispels darkness
Gavriel		Boy	God is my strength; God is my strong man; God is my hero
Geordie		Boy	Farmer; Land worker
Geraint		Boy	Old man
Gio		Boy	Earthworker; Farmer
Goncalo		Boy	A man who is a genius in battles
Grady		Boy	Noble; Renowned; Illustrious
Gruff		Boy	Lord; Prince
Guney		Boy	South
Gurjot		Boy	Guru's light
Gurkirat		Boy	One who sings praises of the Guru
Gustave		Boy	Staff of the Geats
Gustavs		Boy	The staff of the geats or goths or Gods
Gwern		Boy	Strong will power; Determination; Imagination; Disciplined
Gyan-Baby-Name:-Comprehensive-Guide-To-Meaning-&-Popularity		Boy	Knowledge; Wisdom; Perception; Intelligence
Haashir		Unisex	Gatherer; The one who assembles
Hamed		Boy	Praiseworthy
Harfateh		Boy	Always victorious; Conquering everything
Harvie-Name-Meaning:-Complete-Guide-To-Popularity-&-Fun-Facts		Unisex	Battle worthy
Harvin		Unisex	Winner; Warrior's friend
Hatim		Boy	Determined; Decisive; Judge or ruler
Hayaan		Unisex	Life; Alive; Awake; One with self-respect
Hayes		Girl	Fence; Enclosure; Fire; Descendant of Aodh;
Henderson-Name-Meaning:-Your-Guide-To-Origin-And-Popularity		Boy	Son of Henry
Hermes		Boy	Cairn; Pile of stones; Boundary marker
Hero		Girl	Hero
Hersh-Name:-Guide-To-Pronunciation,-Popularity,-And-More		Boy	Deer; Hart
Hilton		Boy	Hill town
Hirav		Boy	Greenery; The Lush Greenery on the Surface of the Earth
Hridhaan		Boy	Donated from the heart; Compassionate towards all
Humayl		Unisex	Little lamb; Praiseworthy; Courageous
Husain		Boy	Handsome; Good; Beautiful
Ikenna		Boy	Power of the father
Imari		Unisex	Garment; Hemp; To live long; Faith
Irah		Unisex	Watchful
Istvan		Boy	Crown; Wealth

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