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The most popular names of the last 20 years have been revealed – did yours make the list?

Some names on the top 50 list are so classic, they've remained popular for the last two decades - but there's also a few curveballs that've snuck into the top ten too.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 14th September 2021

The most popular baby names of the last 20 years have been revealed.

Picking a name for your newborn bundle of joy that will see them through life is no doubt an important and tricky task, but data recently released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) between 1996 to 2019 shows that some names have really stood the test of time.

Some names on the top 50 list are so classic, they’ve remained popular for the last two decades – but there’s also a few curveballs that’ve snuck into the top ten too.

Emily and Jack took the crown as the most popular names of the last 20 years.

Olivia has proved to be a popular name, topping the charts for girls’ names since 2016, but Emily took the title over the last two decades as it’s featured in the top five every year between 1996 and 2018, and spent several years in the number one spot.

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Jessica, Sophie, and Chloe round out the top five spots for girls, and for boys, Jack, Thomas, Harry, Oliver, and Joshua top the charts.

Top 50 Names of the Last 20 Years

Girls

  1. Emily
  2. Olivia
  3. Jessica
  4. Sophie
  5. Chloe
  6. Charlotte
  7. Grace
  8. Amelia
  9. Ella
  10. Lucy
  11. Lily
  12. Mia
  13. Ellie
  14. Hannah
  15. Holly
  16. Alice
  17. Isabella
  18. Phoebe
  19. Molly
  20. Daisy
  21. Emma
  22. Abigail
  23. Ruby
  24. Megan
  25. Elizabeth
  26. Isabelle
  27. Georgia
  28. Millie
  29. Poppy
  30. Freya
  31. Eleanor
  32. Jasmine
  33. Sophia
  34. Erin
  35. Imogen
  36. Amber
  37. Rosie
  38. Katie
  39. Leah
  40. Amy
  41. Anna
  42. Maisie
  43. Bethany
  44. Evie
  45. Harriet
  46. Sarah
  47. Zoe
  48. Rebecca
  49. Paige
  50. Scarlett
Some names on the top 50 list are so classic that they’ve remained popular for the last two decades / Credit: Flickr

Boys

  1. Jack
  2. Thomas
  3. Harry
  4. Oliver
  5. Joshua
  6. James
  7. William
  8. George
  9. Daniel
  10. Samuel
  11. Joseph
  12. Charlie
  13. Jacob
  14. Benjamin
  15. Alexander
  16. Mohammed
  17. Ethan
  18. Adam
  19. Alfie
  20. Jake
  21. Matthew
  22. Max
  23. Dylan
  24. Luke
  25. Henry
  26. Lewis
  27. Ryan
  28. Edward
  29. Liam
  30. Muhammad
  31. Harrison
  32. Michael
  33. Oscar
  34. Callum
  35. Nathan
  36. Isaac
  37. Archie
  38. Tyler
  39. David
  40. Connor
  41. Jamie
  42. Harvey
  43. Charles
  44. Lucas
  45. Toby
  46. Louis
  47. Aaron
  48. Alex
  49. Mason
  50. Noah

Name expert Pamela Redmond Satran says some names will always be popular, and therefore rarely fall out of favour.

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Speaking to The Sun, Pamela said: “With boy names especially, you see some of the classics holding steady over the whole generation, a trend you’d see if you stretched the chart back a hundred years.

“Names like Thomas, James, William, and Daniel are never really in or out of style [and] they command a top place on baby name popularity lists generation after generation.

“You see more movement with girls’ names, even the classics you might think would be immune to fashion swings.

“Elizabeth barely sneaks onto the top 25 and Sarah has nearly fallen off the top 50.”

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Manchester City hit with backlash from season ticket holders after ‘divisive’ North Stand update

Danny Jones Danny Jones Man City fans angry backlash over being moved out of their seats North Stand stadium expansion plans

Manchester City have shared a new update on the impending North Stand expansion and concourse upgrade, but the most recent reveal has been met with plenty of backlash from supporters set to suffer the consequences.

The Etihad is currently undergoing a major transformation that will see numerous new facilities added to the wider campus experience – most notably the increased capacity of the North Stand, which will make room for a further 7,000 or so fans.

Back in March, the club revealed the official brand partners for their upcoming on-site hotel, which will also accompany a new sky bar and rooftop stadium walk experience as part of the wider plans, but while adding more seats and things for matchgoers to do sounds good on paper, it’s come at a cost for many.

Reacting to the news of social media, many regular fans are now set to be forced out of their seats to make way for more hospitality sections at the end of the stadium, meaning the post has proved ‘divisive’ to say the least.

As you can see, both Blues, neutrals, and even rivals alike are expressing their shock and disappointment in not only the decision but the manner in which the announcement was made.

One person said on X: “You turfed me and hundreds of others out of our seats four seasons ago when you dug them up for digital signage. We were all split up and had to scrape around for new seats. Had enough of all the new rules and digital tickets/transfers. I sit on my sofa now and save £3k.

Reply in the comments underneath the response, a Manchester United fan added: “I don’t like City, but this is something I can stand with [fans] on.”

Even well-known online commentators like ‘HLTCO’ (Hopkin Looking To Curl One), a.k.a. Dan Cook – a notable Crystal Palace die-hard – shared his two cents online.

“Man City season ticket holders are being told that they’re being permanently moved from the seats they’ve had for years to accommodate a new corporate seating area”, he wrote, adding: “This is the sort of thing that fans everywhere have to push back against; these clubs see us as a nuisance.”

In terms of what the stadium overhaul looks like, the latest CGIs show the first proper glimpse of the new ‘Cross Bar’ that will “offer a relaxed, social atmosphere” for around 300 fans, as well as the new ‘City Hall’ concourse area, which will cater to around 500 punters both on game-days and beyond.

You can take another close look down below.

As detailed in the full statement on the club website, they have insisted that they will be supporting those “may need to move seats ahead of the commencement of the 2026/27”, clarifying that no one will need to be relocated to accommodate the Cross Bar, specifically.

They go on to add: “We understand that relocating seats may be unsettling, and we are here to support these fans”. They have promised things like a “priority relocation window” and, most crucially, a guarantee that they won’t have to pay more to sit in what is typically a more expensive stadium block.

However, while they have also assured that people will be able to move groups of seats so as to stay around their friends, as explained by a user above, this is easier said than done and ticket uncertainty remains a big concern among the fan base.

What do you make of the latest Etihad Stadium news, City fans?

Manchester City supporters groups call on club and fellow fans to ‘make their voices heard’
Man City fans have been vocal about their seats, the ‘Flexi Gold’ saga and much more.

Read more:

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Featured Images — David Wilson (via Flickr)/CGIs (via mancity.com)

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A first look into the highly-anticipated TV soap crossover ‘Corriedale’ has just dropped

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

The wait is nearly over for TV soap fans, as producers behind the highly-anticipated ‘Corriedale’ crossover have just dropped an exclusive first look.

Whether you’re team Coronation Street or team Emmerdale, this show has all areas covered as it merges both the iconic TV soaps into an hour-long special.

When the news that Coronation Street and Emmerdale were teaming up for a special crossover episode back in May, it’s safe to say we didn’t quite believe it.

Now, it feels like Christmas has come early as pictures of two very distinctive cast members smiling next to each other while filming the crossover episode have been released.

In the newly-released images we can see Vicky Myers, known for playing the assertive and dedicated DS Lisa Swain, representing the Manchester-based production Coronation Street.

Vicky Myers (DS Lisa Swain) and Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle) pictured together ahead of upcoming TV soap crossover Corriedale / Credit: ITV Press Centre (Supplied)
Vicky Myers (DS Lisa Swain) and Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle) pictured together ahead of upcoming TV soap crossover Corriedale / Credit: ITV Press Centre (Supplied)
Vicky Myers (DS Lisa Swain) and Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle) pictured together ahead of upcoming TV soap crossover Corriedale / Credit: ITV Press Centre (Supplied)

Stood by her side is Danny Miller known for his role as the complex and vulnerable Aaron Dingle in Leeds-based hit soap Emmerdale.

Both can be seen on-set and are pictured in front of a white trailer filming for the upcoming Corriedale special.

Although the shows are set just a one hour’s drive away from each other, separated by The Pennines, this soap special marks the first time that characters from each drama will have ever crossed paths.

Most details for this soap crossover are being kept very tight-lipped although filming kicked off in September with this latest update marking the first-ever major cast announcement for Corriedale.

ITV Executive Producer for Continuing Drama Iain Macleod said: “It’s beyond exciting that filming is under way on Corriedale.

“There is a massive buzz around both the Leeds and Manchester sites and the images coming out of the shoot are utterly spectacular. And that’s before we’ve even got to all the brilliant transpennine interactions between characters from the different shows!

“As a soap fan myself, I think my head is going to explode when the episode airs next year. It will be mind-blowing, historical and unmissable.”

Read more:

Corriedale is coming to our TV screens in early 2026 and heralds the start of a new soap power hour with 30 minute episodes of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale to air every weekday.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images: ITV Press Centre (via Supplied)

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