Oliver and Olivia topped the charts of baby names last year – while Jaxon, Muhammad, Charlotte and Willow also surged in popularity.
Oliver was the most popular boy’s name for the fourth year in a row – although if all variations of Muhammad are grouped together that is more common.
Amelia lost the top spot for girls born in England and Wales last year, after holding the number one ranking for five years.
Charlotte moved up 13 places to number 12 – probably reflecting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s choice for their daughter in 2015.
Oliver was the most popular boy’s name for the fourth year in a row – although if all variations of Muhammad are grouped together that is more common
Charlotte moved up 13 places to number 12 last year – probably reflecting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s choice for their daughter in 2015
The details emerged in the latest information released by the Office for National Statistics.
Some parents seem to have taken inspiration from Game of Thrones. There were four girls called Daeneyrs, presumably in honour of the dragon queen from the hit series.
Another five were called Sansa, the name of one of the leading characters from the Stark family.
The supposed wave of Corbynmania appears to have little impact, with just 18 children called Corbyn in 2016. But Theresa was only slightly more popular with 19 babies given the handle.
Towards the top of the charts, Muhammad rose four places from 2015 to enter the top 10 at number eight, with 3,908 boys given the name.
Another 2,228 children were called Mohammed, and 948 called Mohammad – meaning if you add the variants together they would be the most common.
The name is frequently given by parents who follow Islam, often followed by a middle name which is actually the one used.
The spelling of the name – which means ‘one who is praiseworthy’ – can depend on a family’s background, whether they are from an Arabic-speaking country and differences in pronunciation.
ONS spokesman Nick Stripe said: ‘With over 696,000 babies born in England and Wales in 2016, and nearly 64,000 different names chosen for them, it’s interesting how relatively stable the top 10 names have been over recent years.
‘Olivia replaced Amelia as the most popular name for girls in 2016, returning to the top position it previously held between 2008 and 2010.
‘Oliver remained the most popular name for baby boys born in 2016, having held the top spot since 2013.
‘It is as you move down the rankings you begin to notice social and cultural changes being reflected in name choices.
‘Harper was the girls’ name in the top 100 in 2016 with the biggest rise in popularity over the previous 10 years, whilst for boys it was Jaxon.’
Four new entries, Felicity, Iris, Luna and Lydia, entered the top 100 for girls’ names last year, replacing Bethany, Hollie, Katie and Lacey.
Albie, Arlo, Ezra, Finn, Jasper and Jesse entered the top 100 names for baby boys in 2016, replacing Callum, Connor, Jamie, Kian, Seth and Sonny which were in the top 100 in 2015.
Perhaps in a nod to celebrity trends, Harper, in the 2016 top 100, saw the biggest surge in popularity over the previous 10 years.
Harper Beckham, daughter to David and Victoria Beckham, was born in 2011.
Meanwhile Jaxon, in the top 100 for boys, had risen the most among baby boys over the previous decade.
Justine Roberts, Mumsnet Founder and CEO, said: ‘Not a huge amount of surprises in this year’s list – perhaps, at a time when lots of things feel very uncertain, parents are turning to familiar baby names that will stand the test of time.
‘There’s a pleasing symmetry to Olivia and Oliver being the top names for boys and girls.’
More than half (51%) of baby boys were given a name in the top 100 while for baby girls it was 42%.
The names in the list are based on the exact spelling given on the birth certificate.
A total of 20 births were registered without a name in 2016.
Amelia lost the top spot for girls born in England and Wales last year, after holding the number one ranking for five years