There's so much baby name inspiration out there now that it almost makes narrowing down your choices to just the one more difficult than ever before. You've got for those wanting something different, and that play into all sorts of fun wordplays. And Europe's most popular baby names prove that the varied choices available are all being put to use.
Classic names like Louise sit next to unique ones like Romy, and trendy monikers sit side-by-side with old-fashioned baby names too. In Spain, the country’s National Statistics Institute reports the most popular baby names for girls are Lucía, Sofía, Martina, María, Paula and Alba. For the boys, it's, Hugo, Mateo, Lucas, Leo and Marcos.
Germany's leading choices are Sophia and Noah, names which currently rank at number eight and number two in the UK according to data. Sofia also topped the charts in Italy, with Leonardo taking the number one spot there for boys. But while Sophia, Noah, and Leonardo remain top choices across Europe and the UK, it's a different story in France.
According to France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies, who have just rounded up the most popular baby names of 2023 in their country, Louise is the most popular girls name. It's a classic name in the region, with deep roots in both Germany and France. In both languages, it means “loud”, “to battle or fight” and “loot bringer” - so it's a very strong name for any little girl.
Gabriel is Europe's most popular boys name,.