For babies born in the last few years, Oliver and Olivia have been sitting pretty at number one. It’s like they’ve rented out the penthouse and refuse to leave. I half-expect the next royal baby to be named Oliver-Olivia.
But if you look at the entire UK population—millions of people—the most common name is David for men and Margaret for women. Yes, David and Margaret. Your uncle and your nan just won.
Why David and Margaret?
Think about it: Baby boomers and Gen X named their kids David like it was an Olympic sport. Margaret was a staple for decades, thanks to queens, prime ministers, and your gran’s best friend. These names have staying power.
Meanwhile, Oliver and Olivia are fresh and trendy, but they haven’t had time to spread across all age groups yet. Give them fifty years, and we’ll see. But for now, David and Margaret are the slow-and-steady champions.
