Will Isla be the next #1 name? Surely Florence isn't far from the top 10?
In this post I will be examining girls' names in England and Wales which, up until 2014 (the last point of data), have been continually rising in usage.
First let's look at the names within the Top 100 which are currently rising. Unlike the boys' names, girls' names with sharp spikes are more common to come by.
However, a rise in rank and an increase in birth count don't always correlate, so there were a few names which didn't make this chart. The ranks of Poppy, Isabella, Sophia, Isabelle and Sienna went up from 2013 to 2014 but the birth count actually went down in each case.
Upswing Names in the Top 100:
Then there are the names below the top 100. Their upward curves could indicate future fame.
Upswing Names in the Top 300:
Three names just a itching to break into the top 100 are the Hollywood inspired Penelope, Elsa and Mila. Look out for them in the 2015 statistics!
With botanical vintage choices like Lily, Daisy, Rose, Ivy and Violet in vogue, it is little wonder that Iris, Olive and Pearl are on an upward curve. Pearl has recently featured as a new baby in Eastenders this year, so expect to see more of it next year.
The enduring legacy of Downton Abbey has had an impact not only on popular culture, but also names. Edith has been marching up the charts since the series began, as has diminutive for Edie (given a further boost this year when it was used by Keira Knightley). Similarly, Cora has also risen since the show's airing.
In the same vein as Edith and Cora, other two syllable Victoriana names are becoming fashionable, leading to a rise in Clara, Ada and Nina -- which reached the Scottish top 100 in 2015.
Other two-syllable -a ending names are also on the rise such as the Celtic Orla and the celestial Luna and Lyra.
Speaking of celestial, American imports Skyla/Skylar and Hallie have also made their way over the Atlantic and are making waves here.
Isabelle, Isabella, Annabelle and Bella are firm favourites up in the top 100, so it's little wonder that other bell names are on the up.
These three A-A names have already made it into Scotland's top 100 thanks to a boost popular TV shows.
Songstress Ariana Grande has help boost this spelling of the name, and the alternate Arianna has reached #81 in Scotland. Another A-a name, Aliza is similarly rising.
These A-a names really are a trend! They're clearly following number one favourite Amelia.
Sweet bouncy B names Bonnie and Betsy have been rising quickly since 2008. Following behind Penelope's success, diminutive Penny is also on the upswing.
Ever since the Royal Wedding of 2011, Pippa (the world's most famous bridesmaid) has been on the rise. Maggie has had a celebrity boost from Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Marnie has had a hefty boost from popular culture.
Ladylike names with a Continental flair are also on the rise such as French Elodie and Italian Eliana. Sweet Felicity is getting a boost from rising actress Felicity Jones.
Other latinised Exotic Traditionals are also rising, as can be seen with Liliana, Beatrix and Valentina.
Like Lola, Delilah is the bad girl turned darling. Sortened forms Lilah and Dolly are similarly rising.
Muslim favourites Fatima and Khadija have been steadily rising (and in various spellings) for decades now. Aizah is a variant of staple Aisha, which has already risen into the top 100.
Though not a traditional Arabic name, Inayah and variants Anaya/Anayah is a word taken from the Qu'ran meaning "care."
These top 10 favourites in Poland (Zuzanna #2, Zofia #5 and Hanna #6) are rising here thanks to growing multiculturalism in Britain.
