IS your name the height of fashion – or starting to show your age? If you’ve ever wondered just how popular your name is, try our new tool. It reveals how your name is faring, and charts its popularity through the years.
It’s bad news for the Jessicas, Matthews, Ellies and Ryans who grew up in the 90s, who are seeing their names tumble out of fashion as a new generation of parents looks elsewhere for inspiration.
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Jessica was the third most popular girls’ name in 1996, when 6,711 babies were given the name. Last year, it had fallen to 139th, with just 360 registrations.
Its decline appears to be gathering pace. Jessica dropped 44 places in the space of a year, while Ellie fell 31.
Matthew fared little better, plunging from sixth in 1996 to 153rd last year. Ryan dropped from seventh to 135th over the same period.
Today, The Sun has launched a search tool allowing readers to discover whether their own name is enjoying a revival or falling out of favour.
The tool allows readers to compare up to five names, and see how they have feared since 1996.
It comes as new figures reveal Muhammad was the most popular boys’ name in England and Wales in 2025, while Olivia held on to the girls’ crown for a tenth consecutive year.
The rankings cover the names given to 585,396 babies born during the year, including 284,681 girls and 300,715 boys.
Olivia was given to 2,386 baby girls, ahead of Lily, with 2,249, and Amelia, with 2,153.
Isla came fourth, followed by Florence, Freya, Poppy, Elsie and Ivy. Isabella was the only new entry in the top ten.
Olivia’s decade-long reign continued despite registrations falling by 375 from 2024.
Muhammad, by contrast, gained 236 registrations to reach 5,957, putting it well ahead of Noah on 4,075.
Leo moved into third place, pushing Oliver out of the top three, while Luca came fourth. Arthur, Oliver, George, Oscar, Theodore and Freddie completed the top ten.
Luca climbed from seventh to fourth after 3,266 babies were given the name, an increase of 452. Freddie also broke into the top ten, while Oliver fell to sixth after losing 338 registrations.
It was the third year running that Muhammad, counted as one exact spelling, had topped the chart after first overtaking Noah in 2023.
Alternative spellings remained high too. Mohammed was 20th and Mohammad came 55th.
Grouping together the five most common versions suggests the name has been the most popular choice for boys for more than a decade.
Clare Green, an expert at baby-naming website Nameberry, said she was not surprised to see Olivia and Muhammad remain at the top.
She said: “Change happens so slowly at the top and once a name becomes popular it normally stays there for quite a long time.
“Names can build momentum. The more people give their child a name, the more other parents hear it and like the sound of it, so it snowballs.”
Olivia came first in three of England’s nine regions and also topped the list in Wales.
Muhammad was number one in four English regions but ranked only 34th in Wales.
Further down the chart, Eliana soared 54 places, making it the fastest-climbing girls’ name. Anaya and Alba each rose by 24.
Vinnie made the biggest leap among boys, climbing 33 places, while Ruben rose 26 spots and Vincent was up 25.
Eliana, Gracie, Anaya, Alba, Marnie, Lilah and Frankie all entered the girls’ top 100, joined by Vincent, Carter, Stanley and Ruben among boys.
Bodhi fell 18 places, Grayson dropped 14 and Brody slipped seven, taking all three out of the top 100.
Andrew was given to just 127 babies and fell to 334th, its lowest position on record after once reaching third in 1964.
The Kardashian-Jenner effect can still be seen on birth certificates. There were 114 boys named Reign last year, alongside 98 Saints and 11 girls called Stormi.
Poppy climbed to second place among girls born in November, around the time of Remembrance Sunday.
Holly tends to rise in December, while Summer is more popular during the warmer months.
Just 9.1 per cent of babies were given one of the ten leading names last year, making the once-common sight of several children in a class sharing a name less likely.
Every spelling is counted separately, based on what is recorded when a birth is registered.
A mother’s age appeared to make a difference too.
Among those under 25, Delilah was the most popular girls’ name, followed by Arabella and Mabel. Willow, Harper and Lottie also featured highly.
Mums aged 35 and over stuck to more traditional choices. Olivia came first, ahead of Lily and Charlotte.
Younger mothers also put Arlo, Archie, Oakley, Elijah, Roman and Reggie in their boys’ top ten.
None appeared in the list for mums aged 35 and over, who instead favoured Oliver, George, Oscar, Arthur and Jack.
Muhammad topped the boys’ rankings among mothers of every age.
Name consultant Colleen Slagen said: “The top ten girls’ names are very nicknameable, which parents find very appealing.
“People will say, ‘I want them to have a CEO name, but be able to give them a more playful name while they’re younger’.”