Short baby names

Short names are clean, modern and travel well. This list is computed, not curated: it is every name of four letters or fewer inside the official ONS 2024 top 50 for each sex, ranked by popularity. Out of the ONS 2024 top 50, 56 names fit this theme, led by Noah at number 2 in the boys' list. Every name here links to its own page with the full ONS rank, the number of babies given it, and a note on its meaning. The popularity figures are the real Office for National Statistics figures for 2024 in England and Wales; which names belong to the theme is our editorial selection from the official top 50.

Girls' names

#3Lily the lily flower, a symbol of purity
#4Isla the island, after the Scottish island and river Islay
#5Ivy the ivy plant, associated with fidelity
#9Ava commonly linked to bird or to life
#14Mia a short form of Maria, and mine in Italian
#15Maya water or illusion in Sanskrit and a form of Maia in Greek
#29Evie a pet form of Eve, life
#35Aria air or melody, a solo song
#39Ella all or other, also a short form of Eleanor
#40Ada noble
#41Ruby the red gemstone, from ruber, red
#46Mila gracious or dear
#47Ayla halo of light in Turkish, oak tree in Hebrew
#48Luna the moon
#51Esme an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#54Eva an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#58Orla an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#59Rose an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#60Eden an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#61Iris an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#65Erin an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#66Thea an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#69Emma an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#69Zara an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#74Lyla an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#80Nova an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#82Raya an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#83Lyra an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#86Nora an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#87Lola an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#89Myla an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#94Rosa an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#97Sara an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#98Lara an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#99Zoe an established given name with roots across several naming traditions

Boys' names

#2Noah rest or comfort
#5Leo lion
#7Luca from Lucania, a form of Luke
#11Jude praised, a form of Judah
#12Theo a short form of Theodore, gift of God
#15Arlo of debated origin, popularised in English literature
#22Jack a pet form of John, God is gracious
#24Rory red king
#35Adam man, from the earth
#38Ezra help
#44Max a short form of Maximilian, greatest
#46Hugo mind or spirit
#67Otis an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#70Liam an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#72Kai an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#73Musa an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#83Finn an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#86Toby an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#92Enzo an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#96Milo an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
#100Leon an established given name with roots across several naming traditions

Computed automatically as every ONS 2024 top-50 name with four letters or fewer. No editorial picking. Rank and count are the real ONS figures. Accessed 2026-06-14.

This list as plain text (for AI and copy)

The same names and real ONS figures as a Markdown table.

### Short baby names in the ONS 2024 top 50

| Rank | Name | Sex | Babies (2024) |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: |
| 2 | Noah | boy | 4,139 |
| 3 | Lily | girl | 2,185 |
| 4 | Isla | girl | 2,056 |
| 5 | Leo | boy | 3,324 |
| 5 | Ivy | girl | 1,956 |
| 7 | Luca | boy | 2,814 |
| 9 | Ava | girl | 1,774 |
| 11 | Jude | boy | 2,540 |
| 12 | Theo | boy | 2,387 |
| 14 | Mia | girl | 1,609 |
| 15 | Arlo | boy | 2,220 |
| 15 | Maya | girl | 1,592 |
| 22 | Jack | boy | 1,711 |
| 24 | Rory | boy | 1,588 |
| 29 | Evie | girl | 1,231 |
| 35 | Adam | boy | 1,410 |
| 35 | Aria | girl | 1,154 |
| 38 | Ezra | boy | 1,339 |
| 39 | Ella | girl | 1,108 |
| 40 | Ada | girl | 1,049 |
| 41 | Ruby | girl | 1,020 |
| 44 | Max | boy | 1,140 |
| 46 | Hugo | boy | 1,094 |
| 46 | Mila | girl | 953 |
| 47 | Ayla | girl | 922 |
| 48 | Luna | girl | 908 |
| 51 | Esme | girl | 864 |
| 54 | Eva | girl | 819 |
| 58 | Orla | girl | 746 |
| 59 | Rose | girl | 742 |
| 60 | Eden | girl | 714 |
| 61 | Iris | girl | 707 |
| 65 | Erin | girl | 689 |
| 66 | Thea | girl | 686 |
| 67 | Otis | boy | 762 |
| 69 | Emma | girl | 666 |
| 69 | Zara | girl | 666 |
| 70 | Liam | boy | 749 |
| 72 | Kai | boy | 735 |
| 73 | Musa | boy | 731 |
| 74 | Lyla | girl | 634 |
| 80 | Nova | girl | 603 |
| 82 | Raya | girl | 574 |
| 83 | Finn | boy | 637 |
| 83 | Lyra | girl | 573 |
| 86 | Toby | boy | 621 |
| 86 | Nora | girl | 549 |
| 87 | Lola | girl | 543 |
| 89 | Myla | girl | 522 |
| 92 | Enzo | boy | 584 |
| 94 | Rosa | girl | 486 |
| 96 | Milo | boy | 567 |
| 97 | Sara | girl | 476 |
| 98 | Lara | girl | 474 |
| 99 | Zoe | girl | 471 |
| 100 | Leon | boy | 545 |

Source: ONS Baby names in England and Wales, 2024 edition. Released 2025-07-31. Accessed 2026-06-14. Theme membership is BabyData editorial selection from the ONS top 50.

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BabyData Editorial

Names and Family Data Desk, BabyData

BabyData's editorial desk builds and documents the tools, citing the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind every number. Pregnancy-related tools are editorially reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.

Last reviewed: 12 June 2026