Top Baby Names of 2021 Australia

Trying to decide on a name for your new baby might be one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when expecting. Gaining inspiration from baby name lists and seeing what others are choosing to name their little ones might give you some ideas of what you like, or even to steer clear of if you prefer something unique. Join us as we take a look at ‘McCrindle’s Australia’s Top Baby Names 2021’ to get an insight into the naming preferences of Australian parents.

Most Popular

Retaining their popularity, Charlotte and Oliver have once again taken out the top spots, for the sixth year running. Last year, there were 1,556 baby girls named Charlotte, while 2,138 baby boys were named Oliver.Top ten Girls and Boys Names:

Girls

  1. Charlotte
  2. Amelia
  3. Olivia
  4. Isla
  5. Mia
  6. Ava
  7. Grace
  8. Chloe
  9. Willow
  10. Matilda

Boys

  1. Oliver
  2. Noah
  3. William
  4. Jack
  5. Leo
  6. Henry
  7. Charlie
  8. Thomas
  9. Lucas
  10. Elijah

 

Newbies

Whilst the top ten names have mostly remained the same, although some moving up and down the list, Matilda has replaced Harper as the 10th most popular name for the girls. And for the boys, Elijah has replaced James as the 10th most popular boy’s name. Ten new names have entered the top 100 for the girls this year; Remi, Harlow, Hallie, Maeve, Adeline, Molly, Maggie, Delilah, Eliza and Isabel, meaning that Heidi, Madeline, Riley, Alexis, Victoria, Madison, Lilly, Chelsea, Indiana, and Thea are all out.The boys’ welcomed only 5 new names; Leonardo, River, Luka, Lewis and Lennox, are in and Tyler, Jake, Christian, Nate and Aaron have dropped off the list.

Top Baby Names of 2021 Australia - Snuggle Hunny

Trending

A trending girl name to watch in the coming years is Sadie, which debuted last year (65th) and is now ranked 58th. Other girls’ names that are worth noting include Mila (22nd), Luna (44th), Freya (45th) and Millie (64th), which have seen significant growth in popularity since all debuting in the Top 100 in 2017.For the boys, the name Theodore has proven to be very popular, debuting in 2014 at 96th and climbing 83 positions to be ranked 13th today. Another name of note, Arthur, has also seen a rapid increase in popularity, debuting in the Top 100 in 2017 in 83rd position and now ranked 40th.Falling out of trend over the last decade, with the biggest fall in rank, include the names Sarah, Maddison, Lara, Dylan, Matthew and Luke. 

A Royal Affair

The royal influence is being felt with Australians being inspired by the younger generation of Royals. Charlotte (1st), William (3rd), Archie (16th), Harry (26th) George (31st) and Louis (55th) all proving to be very popular choices. 

Botanical Names

For the girls, Botanical theme names continue to prove popular for Australian parents with Willow, Ivy, Lily, Violet, Daisy, Poppy, Jasmine, Rose, Olive, Rosie and Delilah. 

The Short of it

True to the Aussie habit of shortening names, the research shows that shorter versions of a name are proving more popular. Jack (4th) outranks Jackson (42nd), Leo (5th) outranks Leonardo (80th), Archie (16th) outranks Archer (23rd) and Ella (11th) outranks Isabella (15th) and Isabelle (36th).Continuing with this trend, there seems to be a lot of shorting names and adding an ‘i.e.,’ to the end: Isabella to Billie, Charlotte to Charlie, Elizabeth to Ellie and William to Billy.

What to Choose?

So, whether you decide to go with a tried and tested favourite, or forge a new path with a unique name, choosing your baby’s name is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a new parent.   ‘The Baby Names Australia Report 2021’ by Ashley Fell is used by permission McCrindle Research. The full report can be found here.