Noah and Olivia return to top of Scotland’s baby name charts

Noah and Olivia returned to the top of Scotland’s baby name charts in 2024, figures from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) have revealed.

Noah had last been the most popular boys’ name in 2022, while Olivia returns to the number one spot for the seventh time, having stayed in the top three since 2008.

They take the top spots from the previous year’s favourites, Luca and Isla.

2024 marks 50 years since current records began in 1974, so NRS has also released Scotland’s top names across the past five decades.

David is the most popular boys’ name over the past half century, with more than 40,000 babies given the name.

Meanwhile, Emma tops the charts for girls, with more than 24,000 babies given the name over the last 50 years.

Andrew, the name of Scotland’s patron saint, was the country’s third most popular name across the last 50 years, but did not make it into the top 100 names in 2024.

Oban and Lomond are also among the picks.

In the top 100 girls’ names, notable changes were for Eliza, which rose 118 places to joint 79th, Romy which rose 89 places to joining 63rd and Nora, which rose 80 places to joint 72nd.

For boys, Reggie, Myles and Callan rose by the largest number of places in top 100. Reggie rose 57 places to joint 91st, Myles rose 41 places to 35th and Callan rose 36 places to joint 36th .

Olivia and Noah were the most common names for mothers aged under 25.

For mothers aged 35 and over, the most common names were Finn and Emily.

The number of different names given to boys has been increasing year-to-year with a new all-time high in 2024.

The number of unique names, names not given to any other boys that year, has been increasing. The same pattern was observed for girls’ names and the variety of names given to girls remains much greater that boys.

The more unusual boys’ names in 2024 include: Delight, Nox, Adonis and Cash.

Last year’s girls’ names, meanwhile, include: Peach, Ceilidh, Indy and Dove.

The top girls’ name, Olivia, was the most or joint most common girls’ name in five of Scotland’s council areas.

The top boys’ name, Noah, was the most (or joint most) common name in nine areas. Only two of the council areas, Falkirk and South Lanarkshire had both Noah and Olivia as the top names.

The body said the figures show how names have changed over the years.

NRS chief executive Alison Byrne said: “I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all the new babies on behalf of NRS.

“Noah and Olivia are the comeback kids, returning to the top of the charts.

“We had a record number of different boys’ names used in registrations in 2024.

“Some of those climbing quickly are Reggie, Myles and Callan for boys; while Eliza, Romy and Nora jumped up the rankings for girls.

“Muhammad also enters the top 10 for the first time, rising nine places to second in the boys’ list.

“It’s fascinating to look at the data for the past five decades and see the growing range of names in use.

“It is much easier now for a name to rise in the charts compared with previous generations.

“In 1974, more than 1,700 baby boys were called David, but 50 years on, Noah topped the chart with only 366.”