Which boys' names are the movers and shakers of 2012? And which names are falling out of favour? Our top 40 names for boys tells you which are the Australian parents' favourites. (We have the scoop on the
top girls' names for 2012 too!)
Our list can provide inspiration, or the chance to check that the name you've chosen isn't everyone else's favourite too.
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To capture true popularity, our exclusive baby names list combines names that sound the same but have multiple spellings. For example,
Isaac has four variations (Izaac, Issac, Isaak and Isaac). And
Jayden has been spelt five ways (Jaden, Jaiden, Jaidyn, Jaeden, and Jayden).
Top 40 names for boys
- Oliver
- Lucas
- Ethan
- Thomas
- Noah
- Cooper
- James
- Jackson
- Liam
- Xavier
- Lachlan
- William
- Joshua
- Jack
- Benjamin
- Max
- Jacob
- Samuel
- Charlie
- Mason
- Daniel
- Aiden
- Ryan
- Harrison
- Oscar
- Alexander
- Isaac
- Harry
- Henry
- Jake
- Luka
- Eli
- Flynn
- Jayden
- Hunter
- Lincoln
- Riley
- Mitchell
- Blake
- Connor
2012 Trends for boys
The number one spot on the boys list is firmly
Oliver again this year with not many changes to the top 10 positions for boys.
Despite
Jack continuing to fall in popularity, names beginning with J are still hot with seven of the top 40 names starting with this letter.
Biblical names are still holding strong with
Jacob,
Isaac,
Noah,
Thomas,
James,
Benjamin and
Joshua all in good position.
The influence of celebrities in the names we find attractive is still strong with Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom's
Flynn making the top 40, Gisele Bündchen's son
Benjamin giving a lift of 5 points to the name.
One trend that seems to be on the out for boys is choosing an unusual variation on spelling. For example, last year Jayden had 7 variations on spelling which this year that has dropped to 5. Riley had 5 variations last year, and this year only 3. This signals a trend back to basics with traditional spelling to avoid confusion and mix-ups.
Names on the rise and the fall
The biggest riser on the this year's list is the name
James, entering the top 20 at position 7. Not a new name it has long been popular as a second name but perhaps the new James Bond film has given it an extra boost this year.
Cooper is a big winner, up 11 points into sixth position. And
Liam is on the rise, perhaps due to the hugely popular One Direction tour this year or even influence by Australian actor Liam Hemsworth's big screen success in The Hunger Games this year. Other names which got a boost this year are
Thomas,
Jackson and
Xavier, all up in popularity.
On the way down the list the biggest fall was seen by
Charlie, down to19th spot, perhaps due to the huge popularity in recent years.
William was also a big loser, down to 12th position from third last year. Maybe the royal wedding fever has passed and the next royal boost will come from the new baby due in 2013.
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Other names to drop in popularity include
Lachlan,
Jackson,
Alexander,
Jack and
Noah.
