What were the most popular baby names in east London last year?

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed the most common first names given to boys and girls in 2020 using birth registration data.

In England and Wales, Oliver and Olivia remained the top picks for the fifth consecutive year, but across east London, names like Muhammad and Amelia were more popular.

Oliver was the top name for boys in Havering, given to 28 babies, while Muhammad was chosen the most in Barking and Dagenham (51), Newham (117), Redbridge (107) and Tower Hamlets (76).

Mohammed, which came in second in Newham and Tower Hamlets, Noah and Yusuf were common choices across east London.

Olivia topped the girls’ list in Barking and Dagenham, given to 21 babies, but it was Amelia in Havering (20), Sofia in Newham (29) and Maryam in both Redbridge (31) and Tower Hamlets (40).

Amelia was a popular girls' name across east London, ranking second in Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets and third in Redbridge, while Sofia was also commonly chosen.

In England and Wales, Ivy and Rosie replaced Grace and Freya in the top 10 girls’ names, while Archie replaced Charlie in the top 10 boys’ names in 2020.

ONS says mothers aged 35 and older continued to choose more traditional names, while younger mothers opted for more modern and shortened names.

Siân Bradford, from the ONS' vital statistics outputs branch, said: “We continue to see the age of mothers having an impact on the choice of baby name.

“Archie jumped into the top 10 boys’ names for the first time, driven by younger mothers as well as the obvious royal link, while on the girls’ side Ivy rose to sixth place.

“Popular culture continues to provide inspiration for baby names, whether it’s characters in our favourite show or trending celebrities.

“Maeve and Otis, characters from the popular programme Sex Education, have seen a surge in popularity in 2020, while the name Margot has been rapidly climbing since actress Margot Robbie appeared in the popular film The Wolf of Wall Street."