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The number of forenames given in 2008 is summarised in the chart below. Eighty-three per cent of boys and seventy-six per cent of girls registered in 2008 have more than one forename.
The following table shows the relative popularity of second names:
|
Boys |
|
Girls | ||||
|
Rank |
Name |
Count |
|
Rank |
Name |
Count |
|
1 |
James |
2119 |
|
1 |
Elizabeth |
1045 |
|
2 |
John |
1425 |
|
2 |
Louise |
908 |
|
3 |
William |
983 |
|
3 |
Rose |
628 |
|
4 |
David |
865 |
|
4 |
Jane |
557 |
|
5 |
Alexander |
864 |
|
5 |
Grace |
542 |
|
6 |
Robert |
733 |
|
6 |
Margaret |
530 |
|
7 |
Thomas |
721 |
|
7 |
Anne |
522 |
|
8 |
Andrew |
542 |
|
8 |
Ann |
442 |
|
9 |
George |
398 |
|
9 |
Mary |
392 |
|
10 |
Michael |
358 |
|
10 |
Catherine |
355 |
|
11 |
Joseph |
269 |
|
11 |
Marie |
337 |
|
12 |
Scott |
247 |
|
12 |
May |
254 |
|
13 |
Paul |
246 |
|
13 |
Jean |
229 |
|
14 |
Peter |
245 |
|
14 |
Helen |
204 |
|
15 |
Patrick |
212 |
|
15 |
Sarah |
174 |
|
16 |
Alan |
203 |
|
16 |
Isabella |
173 |
|
17 |
Jack |
195 |
|
17 |
Anna |
128 |
|
18= |
Daniel |
188 |
|
18 |
Christina |
122 |
|
18= |
Ian |
188 |
|
19 |
Olivia |
120 |
|
20 |
Stuart |
177 |
|
20 |
Leigh |
114 |
It is clear that second names are more “traditional”, reflecting the names of previous generations in many cases. There are few changes in the lists of second names from year to year, with James and John, and Elizabeth and Louise being consistently popular. In 2007 the top ten second names for boys and girls are the same as last year with just a few minor changes in ranking.
Page last updated: 15 December 2008
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