UK Baby Names

The Maisie spelling may be more widely used, but Maisy is perfectly proper and also makes the British Top 100.  And as Maisy, she feels like a closer relative to Daisy, another Margaret diminutive.

Maisy

Lettie, also spelled Letty, is a nickname name that until recently, had rarely been heard since the 1950s. Now, this treasured antique is on the rise, fitting right in with the trend for old-fashioned, down-to-earth nickname, such as Lottie, Hettie, Hattie, Josie, and Maisie.
 One of Joan Crawford's early hit roles was in 1932 as the eponymous heroine of the film Letty Lynton, in which she wore a dress--dubbed the Letty Lynton dress--that became a national fad. More recently, the name appeared on characters in the novel and film Howl's Moving Castle and in the musical, The Greatest Showman.
 
Originally used as a short form for Letitia (or Lettice), if that doesn't appeal and you don't want to use Lettie on the birth certificate, other names with the nickname include Loretta, Violette, Scarlett, Elisabeth, Colette, Juliette, Violetta, Arlette, and potentially Charlotte or Elliot/Elliette. 
 
A rising number of parents having been choosing the name since 2015, and, as of 2024, it re-entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in nearly 80 years. In England and Wales, it made its debut in 2025
 
In a recent (US) count, the Lettie spelling was given to 358 babies, while Letty was chosen for 158. Combined, it ranks around the #580 mark, alongside Cleo, Mckenzie, Imani, and Sevyn.

Lettie

Charlie and its many forms are on the rise -- including Charley, which relates more directly to the male formal name Charles. Surprisingly, though, while the number of girls and boys named Charlie are nearly even, there are six times as many girls named Charley than boys. 
 
The Charley spelling still ranks in the Top 1000 for girls, though it's fourth in popularity behind Charlie, Charlee, and Charli.

Charley

For a name that was in the Top 20 for a whole decade – the 1930's – Marilyn has attained the status of almost a one-person name. Just say the name Marilyn, and most people will know who you mean. Yet strangely enough, though Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jean and renamed in tribute to earlier star Marilyn Miller) was the sex symbol of her generation, very little stardust adhered to her name. In fact, when Mariah Carey wished to honor the star in her daughter's name, she chose to call her Monroe rather than Marilyn.
 There have, however, been a number of other notable Marilyns, including opera singer Horne, novelist French and lyricist Bergman--not to mention male musician Marilyn Manson (nee Brian). Actress Kim Novak was born Marilyn.
 The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Marilyn

Elina is one of the many variations of mother name Helen to make the US Top 1000 list, and is given to around 300 girls each year. While it might blend in among the Helenas, Elenas, and Alinas, it might be a good way to go if you want the eh-lee-nuh pronunciation or the potential for nicknames Elle, Ellie, or Ella. 
 
Popular in Switzerland, Azerbaijan, Latvia, and Armenia, Elina is an international name that can also be spelled with various accents, depending on where it is used. Elīna is most often seen in Latvia, while Élina is sometimes used in France.

Elina

The seventh most common surname in Scotland, for a time associated only with soup company and the Andy Warhol's iconic painting, Campbell is once again being considered as an accessible but rarer alternative to Cameron in the US. Traditionally given as a masculine first name in the 20th-century — and still used as such in the UK — it is now a unisex choice in the States. In fact, 2025 saw it appear as one of the fastest rising names across the board, climbing 338 places for girls and 159 for boys. 
 
Derived from a Scottish nickname, Campbell means "crooked mouth", though a slightly more favorable spin is "wry mouth" which could imply a sense of dry humor (or a disgusted expression). Still put off by those? In Latin, the name has been represented as de bello campo with the more pleasant and nature-connected meaning "of the fair field".
 
Campbell was a Top 100 choice in Scotland until the mid-1970s, while in England and Wales, it was familiar until the mid-2000s. In the US, it has been appearing in the stats for boys since the 1880s, but wasmore popular for girls in the 2000s, likely thanks to news reporter and journalist, Campbell Brown. In 2024 it re-entered the field as a unisex choice and the latest data saw it split 42:58, making it statistically gender-neutral.
 
With cool-but-gentle nickname Cam, Campbell has a similar feel to Bellamy, Emerson, Finley, or Hollis.

Campbell

Boden is most often inspired by the clothing catalog of the same name, and it feels like an appropriate first name for boys because of its stylish two-syllable -n ending rhythm, a la Logan, Mason, Owen, and other trendy choices. While Boden or Bowden is a fairly common English surname, in German it is the everyday name for "floor".
 
Boden may also be a variation of Beauden, an elaboration of the French name Beau. The Boden spelling entered the US Top 1000 in 2014 and has been slowly on the rise since then. You might also consider Bowen, Bode, Bodhi, and Bowie if you enjoy the sounds.

Boden

Keaton is an engaging surname with warmth, energy and a sense of humor, identified with silent comedian Buster Keaton and contemporary actors Michael and Diane Keaton. Given to around 290 boys in a recent year, it currently sits within the latter end of the US Top 1000.
 
Keaton derives from the name of a number places, which has led to a variety of different meanings, depending on which etymological root you follow. These meanings include: "place of hawks" from the Old English cyta; "river town" from the Old English ea; "hedged town" from the Cornish kee; and "Káti's (or Catta's) town", from an Old Norse given name, which ultimately means "merry, happy".
 
An alternative to Weston, Easton, Colton, and Keegan, Keaton is a friendly choice that could also get you nickname Kit.

Keaton

With its harmonious meaning and gentle sound, Truce has joined the wave of virtuous word names that have risen up the charts in the 21st century. Reflecting a wish for peace during turbulent times, Truce moved an impressive 11118 places up the US rankings in 2024, when it was chosen for nearly 230 babies. A year prior, it was given to just six babies. 
 
A bold yet grounded feeling choice, similar in sound to Tru, Truett, and Trace, it could also work as a modern twist on Bruce. 
 
A more recent year has seen it climb further, given to 330 babies.

Truce

Harry is the medieval English form of Henry, which derived from the Germanic name Heimrich, meaning "estate ruler." Harry was the nickname of all eight King Henrys; it is also a diminutive of Harold and Harrison.
 
Harry was everyone's elderly uncle until Princess Diana, following British royal tradition, named her son Henry but called him Harry. Then Harry Potter became a rage and Harry Styles of One Direction became the hottest boy bander of the new millennium. Thus, Harry's avuncular image was history. Harry is still much more popular in England, Ireland, and Scotland than it is in the US, but its classic yet unpretentious image makes it a recommended choice.
 
Harry was a Top 20 name in the US from 1880 to 1918, and continued in the Top 100 into the 1950s (hence the song "I'm Just Wild About Harry"), and has countless worthy namesakes, including Truman, Belafonte, and Houdini.
 
Among the celebs who have chosen this good guy name for their sons are David Letterman (it was his father's name), Simon Baker, and Billy Bob Thornton. It's also found in a number of movie titles from The Trouble with Harry to Dirty Harry to When Harry Met Sally.
 
Something to think about when using Harry: how does it sound in your accent? It might sound great, or it could sound a bit to hairy.

Harry

Royalty represents the convergence of two important trends: word names and superlative names such as Legend and King. Blending status and power with a fashion, flair, and confidence, it this longer form leans more feminine while Royal is given to more boys.
 
 Royalty was the hottest name of 2016 when it entered the Top 1000 for the first time, and by 2017, it was used around 70 times more often than it had been a decade earlier. It peaked in 2019 when it was given to 980 babies, though recent years have seen it decline. Given to around 400 girls in a recent year, it did fall 150 places down the charts, placing it in the Top 800.

Royalty

A variation of Jameson. Both names have climbed in popularity in recent years, though Jameson remains the preferred spelling.

Jamison

Familiar in the UK where it has featured just outside or towards the end of the Top 1000 since the late 90s, this spelling was once a well-used option in the US too, peaking in the 1920s and 30s, when it was in the Top 450. Now, it's making its way back to the American, mainstream, having re-entered the popularity charts in recent years.
 
While it is unlikely to reach the heights of popularity that sleeker Eloise has, it may well work it you're wanting to honor a Louise or a Louisa, or if you want to more easily access the unisex nickname Lou. This spelling was given to 266 girls in a recent year in the US, while Eloise was chosen for 3430.

Elouise

Names of royal ranks -- King, Prince, and yes, Baron -- have become more widely used in recent years, though they're outlawed in several countries. This spelling, the same as that of the financial publication Barrons, was used by Donald and Melania Trump for their son.

Barron

A rediscovered virtue name with a modern makeover, Klarity has the zippy sounds of Felicity along with the familiar feel of Kate, Katie, Kitty, and Klara. 
 
Klarity was one of the fastest-rising girls' names of 2025, when it was given to almost 350 baby girls, up dramatically from fewer than 100 the year before. As such, it ranked above the traditional Clarity spelling, also rising, which was given to 115 babies, which, ironically, might cause a little confusion rather than the simplicity and clearness the name implies. 
 
American rapper Kash Doll named her daughter Klarity in 2024, which may have inspired other parents to use the name.

Klarity

Bellamy is emerging as an up-and-coming <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a>, an Irish surname-y riff on the super-popular Bella series of names. While the Bella connection makes Bellamy sound a little trendier and more popular than it really is, we see the name possibly rising through the ranks for both genders in the coming years.

Bellamy

A beautiful modern Cornish nature name that is rapidly picking up steam in the States: even spawning variant spellings like Elowyn and Elowynn. In its native region, it wasn't widely used as a name before the twentieth century, when the Cornish language was revived. A fresh and magical member of the fashionable El- family of names, it has a pleasant, evocative sound.

The traditional Cornish pronunciation is with stress on the middle syllable: eh-LOW-en. But most English speakers seem to pronounce it with first-syllable stress, perhaps on the example of more familiar names like Eleanor and Elodie.

 
Elowen has been in the Top 1000 in the UK since 2017 and is the preferred spelling there, while in the US, Elowyn is the favorite, currently in the Top 500. Elowen is also gaining attention however, and entered the Top 1000 in 2024 when it was chosen for 294 babies.

Elowen

Strong but gentle, Keith is one of the Scottish surnames that, along with Douglas, Craig and Bruce, were considered the epitome of cool in the 1960s and early 1970s, when it was a Top 40 choice.
 Keith made his debut in the nineteenth century and was borne by a long line of Scottish nobles. In the recent past he's been represented by musicians Keith Richards, Keith Moon, Keith Jarrett and Keith Urban, as well as actor Keith Carradine, TV guy Keith Olbermann, artist Keith Haring and baseball star Keith Hernandez.

Keith

Brewer is a surname turned first name that comes from the occupational name for someone who brews beer. Definitely a cool guy name, and one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2025, when it broke into the Top 1000.

Brewer

The -leigh suffix seems to be losing its luster; several names in this category, including Kayleigh, Kyleigh and Ryleigh, peaked in popularity a few years back but have since lost quite a bit of ground.

Kayleigh

Baby names from the UK include names with origins from through the United Kingdom: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, along with Manx and Cornish names from those corners of the kingdom. UK baby names encompass a wide range of styles, from some of the most popular names throughout the English-speaking world, such as Jennifer and Mason, to such unique baby names as Nolwenn, Pembroke, and Sholto. There are hundreds more UK names that are just as unusual.

They along with all the names in the Nameberry database that originate in the English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, Cornish and Manx languages and cultures appear on this master list of UK baby names. 

Baby names from the UK include names with origins from through the United Kingdom: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, along with Manx and Cornish names from those corners of the kingdom. UK baby names encompass a wide range of styles, from some of the most popular names throughout the English-speaking world, such as Jennifer and Mason, to such unique baby names as Nolwenn, Pembroke, and Sholto.  (Page 22)