Baby names that stand the test of time

Which ones have stood the test of time?

29 May 2006 15:22 GMT / By Stuart Miles

New research reveals that when it comes to naming our kids there is still a great divide between names for boys and girls.

Not of course, whether you are going to call them Jack or Jill, but which ones have stood the test of time.

A comparison of the top 10 most popular names in old folks' homes and kiddies' nurseries by Bupa has found that while girls names easily go out of fashion, boys names come around and around.

The study of Bupa's 298 care homes and 36 Teddies nurseries found that today's boys are just as likely as their grandfathers to be called James, William or Thomas.

Over 300 residents are called William, making it second only to John as the most common men's name at care homes.

However the survey found that the same couldn't be said for girls. Mary, Margaret, Gladys, Doris and Kathleen come out top in care homes, however none of them are prominently featured at Teddies nurseries, where names like Isabel, Ella and Amelia are common.

Dean Cowley, Bupa marketing director, said: "There seems to be a timelessness with boy's names which means they'll almost never go out of fashion".

"With girls though, there is a pressure on parents to come up with something a little more exciting. Mind you, we are still a long way from names like Apple, Suri and Fifi Trixibelle hitting our Top 10 list."

The current Top 10 baby names in Teddies Nurseries are:

Boys

1. Sam
2. Ben
3. James
4. Alexander
5. William
6. Thomas
7. Oliver
8. Charles
9. Joseph
10. Joshua

Girls

1. Isabel
2. Sophie
3. Emily
4. Ella
5. Amelia
6. Charlotte/Katherine (joint)
8. Jessica
9. Olivia
10. Molly/ Lucy

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