Victoria's most popular baby names: Oliver and Charlotte continue to dominate
Updated
If you've always had a soft spot for babies named Oliver or Charlotte, it seems you're not alone.
Last year, 426 girls were named Charlotte in Victoria, making it the most popular girls' name for the second year in a row.
It was well ahead of the next most popular name — 360 girls were named Olivia.
For baby boys, Oliver continued a long run of popularity, marking a fourth straight year at the top of the list.
That name was given to 509 boys, clearly ahead of William (466) and Jack (450).
The Victorian Government released the 2017 list today.
Royal Women's Hospital CEO Sue Matthews said it was clear Princess Charlotte had boosted the popularity of that name, and other influences were also at play.
"It isn't unusual for us to get a letter [from parents] that says they've named their child after their midwife or doctor," she said.
"So that's always a real surprise and it's wonderful for us to hear about because they have done such a great job and it's a very impactful time in that family's life."
A glance at the top ten lists from the past three years shows little movement, but looking further back shows some big changes over the past two decades.
In 1997, the most popular girls' name was Jessica, but on the 2017 list, that name had plummeted to 100th position.
None of the girls' names in the top 10 last year were in the top 10 for 1997.
James was the most common boys' name in 1997, and remained popular in 2017, in sixth position.
There were more than 68,000 births in Victoria in 2017, with the most births on April 13, when 279 babies were born.
Boys' names
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Oliver | Oliver | Oliver |
| William | Jack | Jack |
| Jack | William | William |
| Noah | Noah | Thomas |
| Thomas | James | Noah |
| James | Ethan | Ethan |
| Lucas | Thomas | James |
| Henry | Max | Lucas |
| Charlie | Mason | Max |
| Ethan | Alexander | Charlie |
Girls' names
| 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Charlotte | Olivia |
| Oliva | Olivia | Charlotte |
| Amelia | Mia | Amelia |
| Ava | Amelia | Ava |
| Mia | Ava | Mia |
| Zoe | Isla | Chloe |
| Evie | Zoe | Zoe |
| Grace | Evie | Evie |
| Isla | Grace | Sophie |
| Ella | Chloe | Emily |
Topics: family, family-and-children, community-and-society, vic
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