By: Mark McCrindle
For more than a decade, McCrindle has analysed the top baby names nationwide and compiled the top 100 list.
This analysis always reveals fascinating insights about not only the names given to babies, but how these become generational markers for the people born within a certain timeframe.
This year’s analysis is particularly important because we now have the entirety of Generation Alpha baby name data, enabling us to definitely call the top names of this generation.
Oliver and Charlotte top the list in 2025
Oliver has been crowned the top baby boy name, for the 12th year in a row! In the time that Oliver has held the spot as the number one name for boys, the world has seen the of rise of TikTok and ChatGPT, a global pandemic, and the normalisation of remote work. The other nine names on the list of top ten boys’ names have stayed relatively consistent, with some minimal movement among the names.
The number one name for girls has swung back and forth between Charlotte and Isla in recent years, with Charlotte now back at number one with 1,330 occurrences over the last year. Charlotte has been the top rated girls’ name for ten years in total over the 15 years that spans Generation Alpha. This year, Lily and Ava have exited the top 10 and have been replaced by Sophie (which is back for the first time since 2015) and Grace, which is back from 2022.
Most popular names for Generation Alpha
Now that the entirety of Generation Alpha has been born (2010-2024), we know that Oliver and Charlotte are the top names across the generation. In fact, there are 30,818 Gen Alphas with the name Oliver and 24,256 Gen Alphas with the name Charlotte.
While some names have stayed consistent across the generation, others have risen and fallen. Theodore and Hazel are two of the names that have experienced incredible growth in popularity among Generation Alpha. Both names were ranked in the 90s in 2010 and have increased to a top 10 position today. Other names that have encountered similar growth in popularity across this generation include Athur, Arlo, Muhammad, Harvey, Hudson, Archer and Austin for boys, and Luna, Maeve, Florence, Aria, Billie, Millie, Elsie, Daisy, Eleanor, Mila, Evelyn, Harper and Ellie, for girls.
Top rising Gen Alpha names
Looking back over the last decade and a half, there are certain names that have made noticeable climbs up the ranks. The boys’ names that have experienced the biggest increase in rank (from a rank outside the top 100 to within the top 40 between 2010 and 2024) are Arthur (rising 302 ranks), Arlo (262 ranks), Theodore (253 ranks), Muhammad (174 ranks) and Harvey (90 ranks). Other notable boys’ names that have seen steady increases in popularity since 2010 include Hudson, Archer and Austin.
The names Theodore (now ranked #3) and Hudson (#7) are worth noting, as not only have they experienced these large rank increases, they now both rank in the top 10 boys’ names.
The girls’ names that have seen the biggest rise in rank include Luna (rising 811 ranks), Maeve (308 ranks), Florence (206 ranks), Aria (191 ranks) and Hazel (185 ranks).
The name Hazel is worth noting, as not only has it climbed 185 ranks to hold a spot within the top 40, but it currently sits in the top 10, at #6. Luna and Maeve are also worth noting as names that have rapidly increased, with Luna only entering the top 100 in 2017 and Maeve in 2020.
Other notable girls’ names that have seen steady increase in popularity since 2010 include Billie, Millie, Elsie, Daisy, Eleanor, Mila, Evelyn, Harper and Ellie.
Trends in boys’ and girls’ names
There are many trends we see occurring in the top 100 names:
- In true Aussie fashion, nicknames continue to be used as first names, with names like Leo (short for Leonardo), Billy (William), Frankie (Frances) and Lottie (Charlotte) becoming popular names of their own.
- Names ending in vowels are also popular, with 23 boys’ names and 70 girls’ names fitting this category.
- Aussie’s continue to draw inspiration from biblical names, royal names, and even pop culture influences.
Parents prefer unique names over popular/well known ones
Current/aspiring parents are gravitating more towards unique choices for first names, with 65% saying they would be more likely to choose a unique name, than a popular/well known one (35%). Those who are younger are more likely to choose a unique name compared to their older counterparts (83% Gen Z, 71% Gen Y, 60% Gen X, 43% Baby Boomers). And among those who have children and have been through the process of choosing a name, half (49%) say they agreed on a name with their partner immediately.
Middle names show a preference for tradition
NSW marked a baby name first in 2025, releasing the top ten middle names for babies born over the last year. Given that NSW accounts for around a third of all births in Australia, this list can be considered a strong indicator of middle name trends around the country. The list, featuring names like James, John, William, Michael, Robert, Rose, Grace, Mae, May and Jane shows that when it comes to middle names, parents tend to prefer traditional choices over trendy ones.
Parents of Gen Alpha inspired by Family Names
Choosing a name can be much more than deciding what’s on their child’s certificate at birth, but a meaningful social and cultural experience. Parents to Generation Alpha were asked what influenced them when choosing their child’s name. Three in ten indicated that a family name influenced them when choosing their child’s name (30%).
Names to watch for Gen Beta
With Generation Beta beginning to be born in 2025, we can now look at some of the fastest trending names that will likely take off among this generation. For girls, these include Millie, Maeve, Remi, Eden, Delilah, Eliana, Margot and Lottie, and for boys, include Beau, Theo, Ezra, Miles, Luke, Billy, Louie and Roman. Other names that have become more popular over last decade include Luna, Florence, Aria, Hazel, Arthur, Arlo, Theodore, Muhammad and Harvey. Alongside the rising names, others are sliding from the top 100. For girls, these include Jessica, Chelsea and Alyssa. For boys, these are Jake, Tyler and Matthew.
The entrances and exits from the top 100 also provide a glimpse into the naming preferences of new parents. New names to the top 100 include Grayson, Isaiah and Finley (boys) and Elodie, Amara and Lainey (girls). There are also some surprising exits of classic names such as Michael, Charles, Celo and Lara from the top 100 list.
2025 Baby Names Report
Get all the insights on the top baby names in the full report.
Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle. Feature image by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash