King and North made last year's Northern Ireland baby name list

The details were released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)
By Joanne Savage
Published 29th Mar 2023, 16:27 BST
Updated 29th Mar 2023, 16:50 BST
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NISRA’s research said James regained the top spot as the most popular first name for baby boys, while for girls, Grace was the common name for the fifth year running.

But NISRA said it also recorded 950 names that had not been used before.

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"Blockbuster movies, popular television series, current celebrities and memorable places continue to appear to be influencing factors for some parents," the agency said.

Kim Kardashian with daughter North West aged nine. The name caused controversy when it was first announced after the girl's birth on June 15, 2013. Celebrity culture is increasingly influencing NI parents' choice of quirky namesKim Kardashian with daughter North West aged nine. The name caused controversy when it was first announced after the girl's birth on June 15, 2013. Celebrity culture is increasingly influencing NI parents' choice of quirky names
Kim Kardashian with daughter North West aged nine. The name caused controversy when it was first announced after the girl's birth on June 15, 2013. Celebrity culture is increasingly influencing NI parents' choice of quirky names

The list shows that least one baby girl was called North last year - surely inspired by Kim Kardashian and Kanye West who bewstowed their first born with the name.

Baby Great will have high expectations to live up to right from the outset: Both he and baby King are bound to stand out among their classmates during roll call.

Or perhaps the less traditional names are just a reflection of Northern Ireland's increasingly diverse society?

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For parents who opted for a more traditional route, James was the top choice.

A total of 175 boys born in 2022 were named James, beating last year's most common baby name, Jack, into second place.

Noah came third in the boys' popularity stakes, while the Irish name, Oisin, entered the top 10 for the first time.

For girls, Grace has continuously held the top spot since 2018, but over the past 17 years it has never been lower than third place.

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The Irish name Fiadh entered the top 10 for the first time in 2020 but it has increased in popularity and, in this latest list, it has risen to third place.

Top 10 baby names for boys in Northern Ireland, 2022

  1. James - 175 Babies
  2. Jack – 169 Babies
  3. Noah – 146 Babies
  4. Theo – 132 Babies
  5. Charlie – 131 Babies
  6. Oliver – 123 Babies
  7. Oisin – 119 Babies
  8. Harry – 118 Babies
  9. Cillian – 111 Babies
  10. Thomas – 107 Babies

Top baby names for girls in Northern Ireland, 2022

  1. Grace - 168 Babies
  2. Emily - 152 Babies
  3. Fiadh - 148 Babies
  4. Olivia - 141 Babies
  5. Isla - 118 Babies
  6. Aoife – 113 Babies
  7. Lily – 110 Babies
  8. Annie – 97 Babies
  9. Evie/Freya – 94 Babies

Over the past year. the highest climbers terms of popularity were Hugo, Luca, and Hudson for boys.

For girls, the fastest movers up the top 100 list were Pippa, Nevaeh, and Lucia.

Related topics:Northern IrelandNorthKim Kardashian