Names / Years / 1944

Most popular baby names in 1944

In 1944 the most popular baby names in England and Wales were Margaret for girls and John for boys, from the official ONS historical top 100. ONS publishes only the ranking for years before 1996, so there are no counts for 1944.

Number one girl, 1944
Margaret
Now joint 413th in 2025 (98 girls)
Number one boy, 1944
John
Now 174th in 2025 (296 boys)

Of the top 100 girls’ names in 1944, 89 were still given to at least 3 girls in 2025 and 6 are in the 2025 top 100. For boys it is 97 and 22.†

The top 100, 1944

Rank in 1944, then rank and babies in 2025

Girls

  1. 1Margaretjoint 413th98
  2. 2Patriciajoint 1,407th22
  3. 3Christinejoint 1,639th18
  4. 4Maryjoint 329th131
  5. 5Jeanjoint 2,604th10
  6. 6Annjoint 2,006th14
  7. 7Susanjoint 2,439th11
  8. 8Janetjoint 4,866th4
  9. 9Maureenjoint 3,332nd7
  10. 10Barbarajoint 2,439th11
  11. 11Valeriejoint 684th54
  12. 12Carolunder 3
  13. 13Sandrajoint 2,439th11
  14. 14Paulinejoint 4,200th5
  15. 15Elizabeth74th624
  16. 16Joanjoint 2,006th14
  17. 17Pamelajoint 2,604th10
  18. 18Jenniferjoint 650th59
  19. 19Kathleenjoint 997th34
  20. 20Annejoint 1,110th30
  21. 21Sheilajoint 3,332nd7
  22. 22Brendaunder 3
  23. 23Gillianjoint 4,200th5
  24. 24Lindajoint 1,892nd15
  25. 25Jacquelinejoint 1,892nd15
Show 26 to 100
  1. 26Sylviajoint 426th95
  2. 27Caroleunder 3
  3. 28Eileenjoint 816th44
  4. 29Wendyjoint 1,809th16
  5. 30Judithjoint 1,362nd23
  6. 31Dorothyjoint 199th253
  7. 32Junejoint 696th53
  8. 33Joycejoint 1,407th22
  9. 34Irenejoint 997th34
  10. 35Dianejoint 2,787th9
  11. 36Rosemaryjoint 490th81
  12. 37Angelajoint 1,229th26
  13. 38Doreenjoint 4,866th4
  14. 39Shirleyjoint 4,200th5
  15. 40Marionjoint 3,332nd7
  16. 41Ritajoint 719th51
  17. 42Catherinejoint 590th66
  18. 43Yvonnejoint 3,034th8
  19. 44Josephinejoint 256th182
  20. 45Helenjoint 705th52
  21. 46Beryljoint 3,704th6
  22. 47Hazel71st638
  23. 48Francesjoint 379th112
  24. 49Janicejoint 2,137th13
  25. 50Elainejoint 1,133rd29
  26. 51Dianajoint 275th165
  27. 52Veronicajoint 763rd48
  28. 53Janejoint 1,110th30
  29. 54Marilynjoint 1,719th17
  30. 55Lesleyunder 3
  31. 56Normajoint 5,926th3
  32. 57Maria88th522
  33. 58Heatherjoint 792nd46
  34. 59Gloriajoint 747th49
  35. 60Mariejoint 778th47
  36. 61Marjoriejoint 3,332nd7
  37. 62Hilaryjoint 3,704th6
  38. 63Jillunder 3
  39. 64Cynthiajoint 2,137th13
  40. 65Ruthjoint 542nd73
  41. 66Mavisjoint 763rd48
  42. 67Audreyjoint 312th139
  43. 68Marlenejoint 4,866th4
  44. 69Bettyjoint 391st108
  45. 70Juliajoint 244th190
  46. 71Evelyn12th1,560
  47. 72Penelope33rd1,174
  48. 73Lyndaunder 3
  49. 74Christinajoint 1,051st32
  50. 75Jeanetteunder 3
  51. 76Carolynunder 3
  52. 77Iris57th759
  53. 78Anitajoint 2,277th12
  54. 79Denisejoint 4,866th4
  55. 80Kayjoint 5,926th3
  56. 81Marianjoint 2,604th10
  57. 82Verajoint 719th51
  58. 83Teresajoint 1,362nd23
  59. 84Georginajoint 371st115
  60. 85Sallyjoint 1,079th31
  61. 86Sarah131st371
  62. 87Bridgetjoint 845th42
  63. 88Lilianjoint 531st75
  64. 89Monicajoint 1,229th26
  65. 90Joyjoint 542nd73
  66. 91Glenysunder 3
  67. 92Juliejoint 1,639th18
  68. 93Viviennejoint 403rd101
  69. 94Daphnejoint 125th390
  70. 95Carolinejoint 1,271st25
  71. 96Phyllisunder 3
  72. 97Gwendolinejoint 2,787th9
  73. 98Geraldinejoint 5,926th3
  74. 99Dorisjoint 3,704th6
  75. 100Murielunder 3

Boys

  1. 1John174th296
  2. 2David73rd712
  3. 3Michael85th615
  4. 4Peterjoint 287th158
  5. 5Robert164th310
  6. 6Anthonyjoint 239th206
  7. 7Brianjoint 573rd68
  8. 8Alanjoint 539th72
  9. 9William25th1,456
  10. 10James42nd1,211
  11. 11Richard431st92
  12. 12Kennethjoint 1,007th30
  13. 13Rogerjoint 2,439th9
  14. 14Keithjoint 5,136th3
  15. 15Colinjoint 1,538th17
  16. 16Christopherjoint 203rd247
  17. 17Raymondjoint 627th59
  18. 18Terencejoint 1,276th22
  19. 19Thomas35th1,344
  20. 20Barryjoint 3,683rd5
  21. 21George7th3,082
  22. 22Grahamjoint 2,951st7
  23. 23Ianjoint 585th66
  24. 24Malcolmjoint 1,307th21
  25. 25Geoffreyjoint 2,439th9
Show 26 to 100
  1. 26Ronaldjoint 627th59
  2. 27Derekjoint 1,705th15
  3. 28Pauljoint 602nd64
  4. 29Edward31st1,385
  5. 30Royjoint 728th48
  6. 31Patrick134th375
  7. 32Philipjoint 549th71
  8. 33Trevorjoint 2,013th12
  9. 34Dennisjoint 478th81
  10. 35Lesliejoint 3,683rd5
  11. 36Josephjoint 59th811
  12. 37Bernardjoint 782nd42
  13. 38Charles119th437
  14. 39Ericjoint 168th300
  15. 40Stephenjoint 716th49
  16. 41Martinjoint 363rd115
  17. 42Frederick52nd954
  18. 43Normanjoint 2,663rd8
  19. 44Gordonjoint 5,136th3
  20. 45Andrewjoint 334th127
  21. 46Frank186th272
  22. 47Arthur5th3,211
  23. 48Rodneyjoint 2,268th10
  24. 49Geraldjoint 2,268th10
  25. 50Cliveunder 3
  26. 51Jeffreyjoint 1,705th15
  27. 52Douglasjoint 224th222
  28. 53Donaldjoint 1,466th18
  29. 54Francisjoint 193rd262
  30. 55Stuartjoint 3,255th6
  31. 56Victorjoint 312th143
  32. 57Robin109th485
  33. 58Allanjoint 3,683rd5
  34. 59Leonardjoint 249th187
  35. 60Stanleyjoint 97th536
  36. 61Albert57th884
  37. 62Mauricejoint 2,951st7
  38. 63Henry13th2,295
  39. 64Howardjoint 1,896th13
  40. 65Harry19th1,718
  41. 66Alexander40th1,271
  42. 67Kevinjoint 292nd157
  43. 68Cliffordjoint 3,683rd5
  44. 69Nigeljoint 3,683rd5
  45. 70Barrieunder 3
  46. 71Reginaldjoint 228th217
  47. 72Ernestjoint 252nd185
  48. 73Alfred76th682
  49. 74Adrianjoint 279th161
  50. 75Haroldjoint 1,226th23
  51. 76Nicholas214th234
  52. 77Timothyjoint 418th96
  53. 78Melvynunder 3
  54. 79Bryanjoint 497th77
  55. 80Neiljoint 914th34
  56. 81Jack24th1,595
  57. 82Daniel62nd804
  58. 83Lawrencejoint 549th71
  59. 84Hughjoint 529th73
  60. 85Denisjoint 484th80
  61. 86Walterjoint 334th127
  62. 87Mohammed20th1,712
  63. 88Terryjoint 1,705th15
  64. 89Edwinjoint 412th98
  65. 90Ralph96th541
  66. 91Ivanjoint 283rd159
  67. 92Brucejoint 856th37
  68. 93Phillipjoint 1,226th23
  69. 94Vincent93rd560
  70. 95Garyjoint 3,255th6
  71. 96Tonyjoint 1,466th18
  72. 97Samuel66th768
  73. 98Cyriljoint 3,683rd5
  74. 99Sidneyjoint 203rd247
  75. 100Roystonjoint 4,274th4

Names are matched to 2025 by exact spelling. "Under 3" means fewer than 3 babies were given the name in 2025, so ONS did not publish it. In the historical file ONS numbers tied names one after another rather than giving them the same rank. † Counts of names still in use are Baby Data calculations. Source: Office for National Statistics, Top 100 baby names in England and Wales: historical data, 1904 to 2024 edition (released 31 July 2025), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; 2025 figures: Office for National Statistics, Baby names in England and Wales, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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Oliver Mackman

Editor, BabyData

Oliver Mackman is the named editor of BabyData and a director of Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937), the company that operates the site. He is accountable for its editorial standards, sourcing and corrections, and requires every number to cite the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind it, with pregnancy tools reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.

Last reviewed: 12 October 2026