Jack does it again. Jack and Sophie most popular first names for 2008
7 January 2009
The list of the most popular baby names registered last year has been released by the office of Births, Deaths and Marriages of the Department of Internal Affairs.
Jack is still the most popular boys name for the fourth year in a row, while Sophie is the new number one girls name with last year’s top choice, Ella, moving down to third place.
Only one new name enters the top 30 girls list – Isla, now more popular than last year where Isla was at number 50. Maia stepped up from 25 to place 18, while Isabella moved from place 10 up to four. Nevaeh has dropped in popularity from number 38 to 59.
Other big changes for girl’s names are Millie which has grown in popularity, going from 96 to place 54 and Peyton who is new in the top 100 at number 87. Nikita previously at 97 has disappeared from the top 100 entirely.
And for the boys – Joshua has finally lost a space in the top three after so many years of being there, however James stays at number two as per last year’s position.
Riley has made one of the biggest jumps and has shot up from number 17 to sixth place. Logan dropped out of the top 30 names for boys falling from 27 to 34. George however slipped back into the top 30 knocking Joseph out of the last spot.
Brooklyn jumps up from 100 to 87. While Vincent in 2007 was at 99 and has now dwindled in popularity and has dropped from the top 100 altogether.
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Name lists are recorded in a national register only. Unfortunately, we cannot provide regional lists of the most popular names.
For information about this table and the full list of 100 names, please check out our website www.bdm.govt.nz
Top 30 Baby Girls' Names in New Zealand | |||||||
Rank | 2007 | 2008 | |||||
Name | No. | Name | No. | ||||
 | | | | | | | |
| 1 | | Ella | 418 | | Sophie | 356 |
| 2 | | Sophie | 351 | | Olivia | 308 |
| 3 | | Olivia | 285 | | Ella | 297 |
| 4 | | Emma | 280 | | Isabella | 288 |
| 5 | | Charlotte | 263 | | Charlotte | 269 |
| 6 | | Emily | 258 | | Lily | 254 |
| 7 | | Lily | 255 | | Emma | 253 |
| 8 | | Grace | 254 | | Emily | 245 |
| 9 | | Hannah | 241 | | Jessica | 245 |
| 10 | | Isabella | 241 | | Grace | 237 |
| 11 | | Jessica | 228 | | Hannah | 232 |
| 12 | | Ruby | 219 | | Chloe | 227 |
| 13 | | Amelia | 198 | | Ruby | 213 |
| 14 | | Lucy | 196 | | Lucy | 202 |
| 15 | | Madison | 196 | | Ava | 196 |
| 16 | | Chloe | 187 | | Amelia | 194 |
| 17 | | Brooke | 173 | | Madison | 184 |
| 18 | | Ava | 170 | | Maia | 177 |
| 19 | | Mia | 169 | | Mia | 170 |
| 20 | | Paige | 163 | | Holly | 161 |
| 21 | | Zoe | 162 | | Sophia | 149 |
| 22 | | Holly | 152 | | Zoe | 147 |
| 23 | | Kate | 151 | | Paige | 146 |
| 24 | | Caitlin | 146 | | Georgia | 144 |
| 25 | | Maia | 143 | | Kate | 143 |
| 26 | | Georgia | 142 | | Brooke | 142 |
| 27 | | Samantha | 140 | | Maddison | 137 |
| 28 | | Sophia | 137 | | Samantha | 136 |
| 29 | | Sienna | 131 | | Sienna | 118 |
| 30 | | Jade | 128 | | Isla | 111 |
Top 30 Baby Boys' Names in New Zealand | |||||||
Rank | 2007 | 2008 | |||||
Name | No. | Name | No. | ||||
| | | | | | | |
| 1 | | Jack | 499 | | Jack | 449 |
| 2 | | James | 369 | | James | 378 |
| 3 | | Joshua | 366 | | William | 352 |
| 4 | | Daniel | 351 | | Samuel | 346 |
| 5 | | William | 324 | | Joshua | 332 |
| 6 | | Oliver | 319 | | Riley | 328 |
| 7 | | Samuel | 310 | | Liam | 302 |
| 8 | | Benjamin | 308 | | Oliver | 300 |
| 9 | | Ethan | 297 | | Benjamin | 290 |
| 10 | | Ryan | 296 | | Daniel | 286 |
| 11 | | Jacob | 294 | | Thomas | 268 |
| 12 | | Liam | 284 | | Jacob | 266 |
| 13 | | Thomas | 274 | | Ethan | 250 |
| 14 | | Lucas | 263 | | Jayden | 250 |
| 15 | | Luke | 260 | | Noah | 249 |
| 16 | | Noah | 260 | | Ryan | 238 |
| 17 | | Riley | 250 | | Lucas | 233 |
| 18 | | Jayden | 248 | | Luke | 227 |
| 19 | | Matthew | 231 | | Max | 223 |
| 20 | | Alexander | 211 | | Hunter | 222 |
| 21 | | Hunter | 208 | | Matthew | 216 |
| 22 | | Dylan | 207 | | Lachlan | 203 |
| 23 | | Blake | 205 | | Alexander | 201 |
| 24 | | Max | 198 | | Dylan | 198 |
| 25 | | Caleb | 197 | | Connor | 184 |
| 26 | | Lachlan | 196 | | Blake | 182 |
| 27 | | Logan | 185 | | Tyler | 172 |
| 28 | | Connor | 179 | | Caleb | 167 |
| 29 | | Tyler | 176 | | Charlie | 160 |
| 30 | | Joseph | 172 | | George | 155 |
END
Media Contact: Jillian Reid, Senior Communications Advisor, Department of Internal Affairs, Phone: 04 382 3700 (direct dial) Mobile 027 471 4173, e-mail: jillian.reid@dia.govt.nz
