Expert says what new top baby names list says about parents - and why Harry is out

A baby name expert has revealed what the newly-released list of top 100 names says about parents - and why some have fallen out of favour.

SJ Strum, 43, is a professional baby name consultant and has given her take on the baby name lists released today (17) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The mum-of-three says the 2022 data shows we're going through a "baby name boom" where parents ditch traditional names.

Instead they are choosing more unique names - or making up their own - and this could be a reflection of parents "no longer raising children as ‘mini me's'".

Harry has dropped out out of the top ten - likely a reflection of the prince leaving the UK, she says - and his son's name, Archie, is no longer high-ranking either.

For girls, she said the traditional British names such as Daisy, Alice, Isabelle, Imogen and Sophie have gone down.

But "outdoorsy nature word names" are rising in popularity - including Meadow, Flora, Winter, River and Skye - showing parents are being more creative.

SJ from Richmond, Surrey, said: "Parents want to find a name with unique personality that reflects their own style, passions and interests and will allow their child to stand out as they move through life.

"We no longer raise our children as ‘mini me's'.

"Modern parents are throwing out the traditional name rule book and seeking a name that is meaningful, evokes their own style and feels uniquely theirs."

Speaking about the rise of Meadow, Flora, Winter, River and Skye, SJ said: "They evoke a freedom and outdoorsy lifestyle that modern parents want when raising children in a tech-heavy world.

"Back to a playful and wholesome childhood."

She said celestial names such as Lyra, Aurora, Ayla and Nova are also "a stand-out trend" - reflecting the recent "fashion for spiritual development".

She said: "We look to the stars and encourage our girls to reach to them."

She said "upcycled dad names" are top movers for the boys in this set of data - a selection of modern twists on traditional names.

Examples include Luca, a variation of Luke, Hudson, a modernisation of Harry, Otis to replace Chris, Axel replacing Alex and Elias, a variation of Elliot.

SJ said: "These variations show a more playful and gentle way of raising our boys that is still timeless."

Across the board, 'O' names are still the most popular - with Ottilie, Ophelia, Oakley and Otis all trending in the top 100.

Classic titles still claim some of the top spots - such as Olivia and Amelia for girls, and Noah and Oliver for boys.

But SJ said as you look at new and emerging trends, parents are more often "searching away from the A-Z Lists these days".

She said this will create "a much more eclectic and spirited group of names for the next generation".

ONS Girls top 10:

OLIVIA
AMELIA
ISLA
AVA
LILY +2 places
IVY -1 place
FREYA -1 place
FLORENCE
ISABELLA * new
MIA -1 place

ONS Boys top 10:

NOAH
MUHAMED +3
GEORGE
OLIVER -2
LEO
ARTHUR
OSCAR
THEODORE * new
FREDDIE * new
THEO * new