Members of the British royal family have seen their monikers feature in the top ten most popular baby names in England and Wales for 2014 – including William, George and Harry. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, Harry was the third most popular name for boys born last year, with 5,379 babies being given the moniker.
Ever since the birth of Prince George in 2013, the cheeky youngster's name has risen in popularity and in 2014 it was ranked seventh, having moved up three places.
George's dad Prince William saw his name come tenth, with 4,134 sharing the same name as the future King.
The names George and William ranked seventh and tenth in the most popular boys' names for 2014
Other traditional names which appear in the top list for boys include Oliver, which has been in the top spot since 2013, and Jack, Charlie and James.
Amelia has remained the most popular girls' name for the fourth year in a row, followed by Olivia and Isla in second and third place.
Harry took the third spot, with 5,379 babies sharing the same name as the prince
For the first time Harper entered the top 100 girls' names in 2014, ranking at number 89, having moved up 71 places. This may well be popularised by David and Victoria Beckham's adorable four-year-old daughter Harper, or the novelist Harper Lee.
According to the ONS, there are a number of possible reasons why the popularity of baby names change over time. It can be influenced by names of famous figures or current celebrities and what they name their own babies.
However, it can also be influenced by other factors such as the religious, cultural or ethnic identities of parents, or the names of family, friends or fictional characters.
The name Harper made it into the top 100 popular girls' names for the first time in 2014
Top 10 boys' names:
- 1. Oliver
- 2. Jack
- 3. Harry
- 4. Jacob
- 5. Charlie
- 6. Thomas
- 7. George
- 8. Oscar
- 9. James
- 10. William
Top 10 girls' names:
- 1. Amelia
- 2. Olivia
- 3. Isla
- 4. Emily
- 5. Poppy
- 6. Ava
- 7. Isabella
- 8. Jessica
- 9. Lily
- 10. Sophie