Victoria’s most popular baby names for 2018 revealed

It didn’t matter whether it was a girl or a boy, the top Victorian baby name for each sex had a familiar theme in 2018. It comes as classic names continue to prove the most popular.

Just two letters separate Victoria’s most popular boy’s and girl’s baby names with Oliver and Olivia claiming the titles.

Oliver remained the most popular boy’s name for the fifth year running, followed by Jack, William, Noah and Thomas.

Leo, Henry and Charlie made their debut on the top 10 list.

MOST POPULAR BABY NAMES OF 2017

TOP BOGAN BABY NAMES FOR 2018

The birth of 295 babies named Ethan helped it climb two spots to eighth.

For girls, Olivia overtook Charlotte as the most popular moniker, with Amelia, Mia and Ava founding out the top five.

Matilda snuck onto the most popular list — in tenth spot — for the first time, perhaps due to the popular children’s novel of the same name.

Ferntree Gully parents Byron and Elizabeth Bonner opted for William for their second child, born five months ago.

The red head, named after his great-grandfather, joined older sister, Sophie, 1.

“It’s a classic name and that’s what my husband and I were after,” Mrs Bonner said.

“We did have a joke when he came out with red his red hair that perhaps we should have called him Harry. But we stuck with William.”

Baby William James Bonner was born five months ago at the Royal Women’s Hospital. Picture: Tony Gough

Victoria welcomed almost 80,000 babies last year, including nearly 10,000 — one every hour — at the Royal Women’s Hospital.

Records of Victoria’s most popular baby names reveal that Oliver, William, Noah and Thomas have appeared regularly over the past decade.

But they are in stark contrast to the state’s preferred names 50 years ago, when David, Andrew, Paul, Mark and Michael dominated.

Meet baby William. His name was the third most popular in Victoria last year, behind Oliver and Jack.
Olivia, Charlotte and Amelia topped the list for girls. pic.twitter.com/GLvrKcZfrk

— Monique Hore (@moniquehore) January 3, 2019

Michelle, Lisa, Karen, Sharon and Susan were the most popular girls’ names in 1968.

Attorney-General Jill Hennessy said it was a mystery as to why parents were opting for the most popular names but said theRoyals or well-known celebrities may have played a part.

“I wonder whether we are going to see Harry and Meghan make an entry into the top couple of names in the years to come,” she said.

“I note my daughter, as I was showing her the results saw that Liam had made a resurgent entry up the top 10 lists. She associated that with Liam Hemsworth’s recent marriage to Miley Cyrus.

“Ultimately, what the cause and effect is a glorious mystery.”

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@moniquehore