European Baby Names
When it comes to choosing a baby name, inspiration can come from all around the world. With its different cultures, traditions, and history, Europe is home to some of the most beautiful and meaningful names.
Here at La Coqueta, our collections marry modern traditionalism with Spanish nostalgia. Creating luxury children’s clothing from newborn to age 10, we strive to represent all ages, lifestyles, and nationalities. With this in mind, we analysed baby name data from Office from National Statistics (ONS) to discover how various European cultures have influenced recent* baby name choices in England and Wales. Read on to find out more…
Our research included analysing 180 baby names in total – 90 boy names and 90 girl names – including those with French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Russian, Scandinavian, Scottish, and Spanish origins. Here’s what we found:
Top European Baby Names Overall
Overall, based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the 50 most popular European-inspired baby names include:
| Overall Rank | Name | Gender | Origin | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Henry | Boy | German | 11 | 2,868 |
| 2 | Charlie | Boy | German | 12 | 2,810 |
| 3 | Finley | Boy | Irish | 16 | 2,613 |
| 4 | William | Boy | German | 20 | 2,215 |
| 5 | Isabella | Girl | Italian | 8 | 2,052 |
| 6 | Freya | Girl | Scandinavian | 12 | 1,982 |
| 7 | Ella | Girl | German | 16 | 1,887 |
| 8 | Elsie | Girl | Scottish | 19 | 1,772 |
| 9 | Charlotte | Girl | French | 20 | 1,732 |
| 10 | Evelyn | Girl | French | 21 | 1,709 |
| 11 | Max | Boy | French | 33 | 1,585 |
| 12 | Sophie | Girl | Greek | 26 | 1,525 |
| 13 | Alice | Girl | German | 27 | 1,432 |
| 14 | Louis | Boy | French | 52 | 1,186 |
| 15 | Maisie | Girl | Scottish | 41 | 1,094 |
| 16 | Penelope | Girl | Greek | 44 | 1,020 |
| 17 | Bonnie | Girl | Scottish | 45 | 1,015 |
| 18 | Chloe | Girl | French | 46 | 980 |
| 19 | Hallie | Girl | Scandinavian | 49 | 954 |
| 20 | Scarlett | Girl | French | 50 | 942 |
| 21 | Emma | Girl | German | 60 | 816 |
| 22 | Ellie | Girl | Greek | 67 | 772 |
| 23 | Finn | Girl | Irish | 73 | 757 |
| 24 | Margot | Girl | French | 80 | 652 |
| 25 | Charles | Boy | German | 88 | 646 |
| 26 | Leon | Boy | French | 93 | 620 |
| 27 | Austin | Boy | French | 105 | 571 |
| 28 | Clara | Girl | French | 90 | 570 |
| 29 | Maeve | Girl | Irish | 94 | 547 |
| 30 | Zoe | Girl | French | 107 | 473 |
| 31 | Robert | Boy | German | 125 | 439 |
| 32 | Leonardo | Boy | German | 128 | 428 |
| 33 | Beau | Boy | French | 131 | 419 |
| 34 | Eloise | Girl | German | 129 | 386 |
| 35 | Lydia | Girl | Greek | 136 | 366 |
| 36 | Nina | Girl | Spanish | 145 | 350 |
| 37 | Paisley | Girl | Scottish | 146 | 349 |
| 38 | Anastasia | Girl | Russian | 148 | 341 |
| 39 | Connor | Boy | Irish | 158 | 335 |
| 40 | Rocco | Boy | Italian | 163 | 326 |
| 41 | Cora | Girl | Greek | 153 | 326 |
| 42 | Zoya | Girl | Russian | 162 | 312 |
| 43 | Lorenzo | Boy | Italian | 179 | 298 |
| 44 | Cole | Boy | French | 183 | 291 |
| 45 | Athena | Girl | Greek | 184 | 270 |
| 46 | Xander | Boy | Greek | 200 | 255 |
| 47 | Xavier | Boy | Spanish | 205 | 245 |
| 48 | Otto | Boy | German | 211 | 241 |
| 49 | Kiara | Girl | Irish | 217 | 219 |
| 50 | Nico | Boy | Italian | 232 | 210 |
Names with German, French, and Irish origins are currently the top choices for European-inspired baby names. In 2020, 14,824 babies were given one of the 20 German names analysed, 12,290 were given one of the 20 French names analysed, and 5,653 were given one of the 20 Irish names analysed. Following the top 3 included Greek (5,305), Scottish (4,706), Italian (3,954), Scandinavian (3,768), Russian (1,649), and Spanish (1,412).
Top Girl Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the 10 most popular European-inspired baby girl names include:
| Gender Rank | Name | Origin | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Isabella | Italian | 8 | 2,052 |
| 2 | Freya | Scandinavian | 12 | 1,982 |
| 3 | Ella | German | 16 | 1,887 |
| 4 | Elsie | Scottish | 19 | 1,772 |
| 5 | Charlotte | French | 20 | 1,732 |
| 6 | Evelyn | French | 21 | 1,709 |
| 7 | Sophie | Greek | 26 | 1,525 |
| 8 | Alice | German | 27 | 1,432 |
| 9 | Maisie | Scottish | 41 | 1,094 |
| 10 | Penelope | Greek | 44 | 1,020 |
Names with German, Scottish, French, and Greek origins all featured twice in the top 10 for baby girl names, with Italian and Scandinavian making up the remainder. A variety of influences made up the top spots, with Isabella, Freya, and Ella making the top 3.
Top Boy Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the 10 most popular European-inspired baby boy names include:
| Gender Rank | Name | Origin | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Henry | German | 11 | 2,868 |
| 2 | Charlie | German | 12 | 2,810 |
| 3 | Finley | Irish | 16 | 2,613 |
| 4 | Wiliam | German | 20 | 2,215 |
| 5 | Max | French | 33 | 1,585 |
| 6 | Louis | French | 52 | 1,186 |
| 7 | Finn | Irish | 73 | 757 |
| 8 | Charles | German | 88 | 646 |
| 9 | Leon | French | 93 | 620 |
| 10 | Austin | French | 105 | 571 |
German and French were most popular influences for baby boy names, with both featuring 4 times. Irish making up the remainder, featuring twice. Classic German names were particularly popular for boys, including the royal monikers Henry, William, and Charles.
Top Names By Country of Origin
As well as looking at the most popular names overall and by gender, we also analysed the figures based on each name’s country of origin. Here’s what we found:
| Origin | Top Girl Name | 2020 Name Origin | Top Boy Name | 2020 Name Count |
| French | Charlotte | 1,732 | Max | 1,585 |
| German | Ella | 1,887 | Henry | 2,868 |
| Greek | Sophie | 1,525 | Xander | 255 |
| Irish | Maeve | 547 | Finley | 2,613 |
| Italian | Isabella | 2,052 | Rocco | 326 |
| Russian | Anastasia | 341 | Erik | 130 |
| Scandinavian | Freya | 1,982 | Jensen | 191 |
| Scottish | Elsie | 1,772 | Lennox | 112 |
| Spanish | Nina | 350 | Xavier | 245 |
Spanish Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 Spanish-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Nina | Girl | 145 | 350 |
| 2 | Xavier | Boy | 205 | 245 |
| 3 | Santiago | Boy | 377 | 113 |
| 4 | Antonio | Boy | 381 | 112 |
| 5 | Diego | Boy | 425 | 95 |
French Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 French-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Charlotte | Girl | 20 | 1,732 |
| 2 | Evelyn | Girl | 21 | 1,709 |
| 3 | Max | Boy | 33 | 1,585 |
| 4 | Louis | Boy | 52 | 1,186 |
| 5 | Chloe | Girl | 46 | 980 |
German Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 German-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Henry | Boy | 11 | 2,868 |
| 2 | Charlie | Boy | 12 | 2,810 |
| 3 | William | Boy | 20 | 2,215 |
| 4 | Ella | Girl | 16 | 1,887 |
| 5 | Alice | Girl | 27 | 1,432 |
Italian Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 Italian-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Isabella | Girl | 8 | 2,052 |
| 2 | Rocco | Boy | 163 | 326 |
| 3 | Lorenzo | Boy | 179 | 298 |
| 4 | Nico | Boy | 232 | 210 |
| 5 | Romeo | Boy | 243 | 194 |
Scottish Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 Scottish-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Elsie | Girl | 19 | 1,772 |
| 2 | Maisie | Girl | 41 | 1,094 |
| 3 | Bonnie | Girl | 45 | 1,015 |
| 4 | Paisley | Girl | 146 | 349 |
| 5 | Lennox | Boy | 381 | 112 |
Irish Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 Irish-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Finley | Boy | 16 | 2,613 |
| 2 | Finn | Boy | 73 | 757 |
| 3 | Maeve | Girl | 94 | 547 |
| 4 | Connor | Boy | 158 | 335 |
| 5 | Kiara | Girl | 217 | 210 |
Scandinavian Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 Scandinavian-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Freya | Girl | 12 | 1,982 |
| 2 | Hallie | Girl | 49 | 954 |
| 3 | Jensen | Boy | 248 | 191 |
| 4 | Stefan | Boy | 264 | 177 |
| 5 | Ari | Boy | 377 | 113 |
Greek Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 Greek-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Sophie | Girl | 26 | 1,525 |
| 2 | Penelope | Girl | 44 | 1,020 |
| 3 | Ellie | Girl | 67 | 772 |
| 4 | Lydia | Girl | 136 | 366 |
| 5 | Cora | Girl | 153 | 326 |
Russian Names
Based on the names with the highest counts in 2020, the top 5 Russian-inspired baby names include:
| Country Rank | Name | Gender | 2020 Gender Rank | 2020 Name Count |
| 1 | Anastasia | Girl | 148 | 341 |
| 2 | Zoya | Girl | 162 | 312 |
| 3 | Anya | Girl | 283 | 164 |
| 4 | Alina | Girl | 304 | 153 |
| 5 | Nadia | Girl | 312 | 148 |
*All baby name figures based on most recent birth registration data (2020)
