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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.

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.

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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Bryan Mbuemo transfer saga looks to finally be over as Manchester United agree deal with Brentford

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bryan Mbeumo to Man United transfer deal done

In one of the biggest transfer sagas of the 2025 summer transfer window, it looks like Manchester United have got their man, as an agreement with Brentford FC is in place and a move for Bryan Mbuemo looks to be a done deal.

Following weeks and weeks of speculation, minor nudges back and forth in the market, it has now been reported that French-born Mbuemo is heading to Man United, having made it apparent that Old Trafford was his desired destination for some time.

As confirmed by The Athletic‘s David Ornstein on Friday, 18 July, the Cameroonian international is expected to be paid for in chunks over the next few years.

Having initially entered a bid of around £45 million before bonuses last month, the west London club stuck to their guns and appear to have got their overall asking price for the player.

According to Ornstein, a trusted transfer source and ever-reliable journalist, United are expected to pay Brentford an estimated £65m for Mbeumo’s signature.

However, with add-ons of approximately £6m, the attacking midfielder’s total price comes out at more than £70m, making his a fee a sales record for a now established Premier League side who have become known as a ‘feeder/selling club’ with excellent recruitment.

It is also said that MUFC and INEOS have arranged for a payment structure that will see the transfer funded over the course of four-year instalments, with a contract valid until 2030 and the option to extend by a further 12 months.

Well-known for using the so-called ‘Moneyball‘ model to their success in recent years, Mbuemo was signed by the Bees back in 2019, when they were still in the Championship, and he cost just £5.8m from ES Troyes AC – also a club record signing at the time.

Fast forward just a few seasons, not to mention 121 goal contributions in all competitions (28 of those coming last season alone), and he’s been deemed worth about 12 times that amount.

Here are just a few reasons why they’ve been after him.

Still just 25 years old, it’s fair to say he fits the balance of age and experience that the club are looking to recruit, as well as boasting a profile that suits the system Ruben Amorim is looking to deploy with his ever-shifting squad.

At least on paper, anyway.

Meanwhile, outgoing deals are still expected to be completed before the end of the summer window, with key first-team players like homegrown Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and loanee Antony all still expected to depart.

Happy with the business, Reds?

Read more:

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Featured Images — Pro:Direct Soccer (screenshot via YouTube)/Pedro Semitiel (via Flickr)

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A petition has been created to make Prestwich’s Oasis-inspired ‘Aldeh’ sign permanent

Danny Jones Danny Jones Make Aldeh sign in Prestwich permanent petition

We love how Greater Manchester, the UK and, indeed, the whole world have been gripped by Oasis fever – even brands like Aldi, who recently renamed one of their local shops ‘Aldeh’ in honour of Oasis and Manc accents everywhere; in fact, there’s even a petition to make it permanent.

And it’s already starting to gather some steam…

That’s right, the Aldi in Prestwich – or ‘Aldeh’ as we shall hopefully refer to it from now until forever – has seen not just local shoppers in and around Bury, but Oasis fans and even just curious Mancunians visit the location to see it for themselves.

In case this silly but oddly satisfying bit of news somehow passed you by, here it is in all its (What’s the Story?) Morning Glory:

A slightly caricatured and over-the-top impersonation of the most Gallagher-esque voice ever? Maybe. Fun to record? Definitely Maybe.

The sign itself has stood outside the branch located near Heaton Park for just over a fortnight now in honour of the Live ’25 reunion gigs and has drawn plenty of attention.

As described by the creator of the petition, Ella Curtis – a Manchester native herself – “photos of the sign went viral, because it tapped into something meaningful: pride in where we’re from, and in what this city has given the world. In short, Prestwich got its own Blue Plaque.”

Simply entitled, ‘Make “Aldeh” Permanent: A Tribute to Manchester’s Musical Legacy’, you can find a lengthy and surprisingly inspiring explanation detailing why the petition matters down below.

“1. A Tribute to Manchester’s Cultural Legacy

Manchester’s contribution to music – and to British culture more broadly – is unmatched. Oasis gave the world BritPop and helped define a generation. The ‘Aldeh’ sign reflects that heritage in a way that feels authentic, local, and proud.

2. A Source of Local Pride

As a proud Mancunian, I’ve seen the reaction firsthand. The sign has brought a real sense of community, joy, and identity to the area. People stop to take pictures, to smile, to talk. In a time when towns often struggle to feel distinctive, this simple change has sparked something genuinely positive.

3. A Cultural Landmark in the Making

In just a short time, the sign has become a local attraction and even a landmark – a destination for fans. It is a symbol and reminder of how we, as Mancunians all came together to celebrate one of the biggest reunion concerts from one of the world’s biggest bands happening right on our doorstep!

The ‘Aldeh‘ sign might have started as a temporary campaign, but it’s come to mean something more – to this city, to its people, and to anyone who recognises the power of music and place.”

Of course we’ve signed it. (Credit: Screenshot via Change.org)

Read more:

Already listed on Google as a ‘cultural landmark’, even boasting 5-star reviews, Aldi themselves have responded by saying: “Boss said we also need 10,000 likes and a comment from one of the Gallaghers.”

It’s your time to shine, folks – we’ll worry about the two later.

The ‘Aldeh’ petition page ends with a simple but moving message: “Sign if you agree – let’s make ‘Aldeh’ a lasting part of Manchester’s story.”

Listen, it’s very rare that you see a city, a country and arguably the entire world taken over by a collective obsession and unified love of music and art; with that in mind, you best believe we’re right behind this.

And if you fancy tacking the ‘Aldeh’ sign onto a tour of important Oasis heritage sights in 0161, then look no further.

14 iconic Oasis locations you need to visit in Manchester
‘As you were x’

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

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Audio North

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