The baby names predicted to be the most popular throughout 2023 have been revealed.
Deciding on a baby name can be a difficult task for expectant parents. Many things can provide inspiration when choosing a name, from tradition and family history to modern trends and significant events.
Data from ONS revealed that Luca was a popular choice for boys in 2021/22, with films such as Star Wars and Pixar's Luca believed to have contributed to its success. Meanwhile, the name Olivia hit the top spot for girls.
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With this in mind, personalised gifting specialists DCUK have conducted research into the most influential events and popular culture moments of the past year to predict the baby names we may see surge in popularity over the coming 12 months.
Steve Manser, head of marketing at DCUK, said: "It's always interesting to see which names are becoming more or less popular, and we are often able to track trends amongst our customers and the personalisation they ask for. These are just some of the names that we've already started to see more of which we anticipate will become increasingly popular due to their correlation with impactful people and cultural moments of this year."
Harry
According to the data, Harry is predicted to take the top spot for boys' names next year - with Harry Styles' phenomenal 2022 success cited as an influence. With 498,000 average monthly searches in the UK, 2022 has been a big year for Harry with a number one album, global tour and lead role in Olivia Wilde's film, Don't Worry Darling.
Steve said: "I would not be surprised if Harry became an even more popular name choice next year. Not only has the One Directioner become the nation's sweetheart, but there is a more traditional link there with Prince Harry too."
Elizabeth
Following the sad death of Britain's longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, the name Elizabeth is predicted to make a resurgence for baby girls. The Queen celebrated the milestone of 70 years on the throne, with the state funeral becoming the most watched broadcast of all time.
Steve added: "We saw huge demand for jubilee related memorabilia this summer across the gifting sector. Brits want her name and legacy to live on for generations to come and since the funeral, we have seen a 65% increase in demand for Elizabeth name tags."
Wolf
Predicted to take third place next year is Wolf. Popular American media personality and businesswoman Kylie Jenner originally announced the name of her baby boy as Wolf, before later revealing that she and boyfriend Travis Scott had decided to change his name.
Steve believes that the influence of stars like Kylie, who has more than 370 million followers on social media, could be behind the increasing popularity of more unique baby names. He said: "We know that reality TV has a huge influence on the lives of everyday people, particularly when it comes to finding a more unusual and modern baby name. Our demand for animal related name tags such as Wolf, Bear and Rex increased by 15% from 2021 to 2022."
Pandora
Next up on the list is Pandora. The Pandoran biosphere is a fictional habitat introduced in James Cameron's 2009 science fiction film Avatar. The name is inspired by that of the first woman created according to Greek mythology. Avatar's highly anticipated sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, is due for release later in the year.
According to Steve, films can have a significant impact on baby names. He said: "The ONS has already explained the huge impact on last year's baby names, and we expect that this long-awaited sequel that has over 240,000 monthly searches will have a similar effect."
Charles
Charles is predicted to be the fifth most popular baby name choice in the next year. The name of the new monarch, King Charles III, is predicted to move up the rankings.
Steve said: "The coronation celebrations will be sure to set a new trend for royal related names over the coming 12 months. We have already seen a 35% increase in demand for Charles name tags since the Queen's funeral."
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