More than 20 years of working with name labels has taught us a thing or two about how and what parents choose to name their children. During this time, we’ve observed that baby name trends are deeply reflective of the world around us. Most recently, we’ve noticed that while admired names like Olivia or Noah might feel quintessentially British, UK baby naming trends are actually deeply multicultural.
This got us thinking. If traditional Germanic, Hebrew, and Latin roots heavily dominate our charts, what about the beautiful names from these regions that haven’t broken into the UK mainstream yet? Are there some international hidden gems waiting to be discovered by adventurous parents?
So, we conducted some research. We analysed the latest ONS birth registration data to uncover the countries that have the most influence on modern UK names – and tracked down the ultimate “wanderlust” alternatives that are huge abroad, but virtually unused in the UK.
Breakdown of global influences on the UK ONS top 100 baby names
| Rank | Geographic Area / Origin | Registered Name Volume | Percentage of Chart Influence |
| 1. | Germany | 33,950 | 20.24% |
| 2. | Israel (Hebrew) | 23,616 | 14.08% |
| 3. | England | 21,063 | 12.56% |
| 4. | Italy | 17,694 | 10.55% |
| 5. | Greece | 15,319 | 9.13% |
| 6. | Global/Various | 9,396 | 5.60% |
| 7. | Spain | 9,302 | 5.55% |
| 8. | Middle East/North Africa | 8,467 | 5.05% |
| 9. | France | 8,314 | 4.96% |
| 10. | Ireland | 5,985 | 3.57% |
| 11. | Scotland | 5,853 | 3.49% |
| 12. | India | 2,746 | 1.64% |
| 13. | Sweden | 2,244 | 1.34% |
| 14. | Eastern Europe | 1,365 | 0.81% |
| 15. | Denmark | 1,262 | 0.75% |
| 16. | Norway | 1,170 | 0.70% |
All the countries identified had a name featured in the top 100 most popular names in 2024. When looking at the top 100 baby names, Western European roots heavily dominate the playground.
The Wanderlust Names List
If you love global heritage but want your child to stand out in the classroom and beyond, here are some alternative hidden gems from the most influential naming regions.
Girls
| Name | Country of Origin | Meaning | UK 2024 Registrations | |
| 1. | Frieda | Germany | “Peace” | 18 |
| 2. | Ginevra | Italy | “White shadow” or “Fair one” | 12 |
| 3. | Rosalía | Spain | “Rose garden” or “Festival of Roses” | 36 |
| 4. | Ambre | France | “Amber” | 0 |
| 5. | Avigail | Israel | “My father is joy” | 4 |
| 6. | Aitana | Spain | “Mountain” | 10 |
| 7. | Eilidh | Scotland | “Sun ray” | 26 |
| 8. | Ananya | India | “Unique” | 19 |
| 9. | Milena | Eastern Europe | “Love” | 43 |
| 10. | Saga | Iceland | “Story” | 0 |
Boys
| Name | Country of Origin | Meaning | UK 2024 Registrations | |
| 1. | Ansel | Germany | “With divine protection” | 0 |
| 2. | Tommaso | Italy | “Twin” | 18 |
| 3. | Lucía | Spain | “Light” | 0 |
| 4. | Raphaël | France | “God heals” | 0 |
| 5. | Moritz | Germany | “Dark-skinned” | 0 |
| 6. | Kyros | Greece | “Lord” or “Sun” | 0 |
| 7. | Eitan | Israel | “Strong” or “Enduring” | 3 |
| 8. | Edoardo | Italy | “Wealthy guardian” | 19 |
| 9. | Oisín | Ireland | “Little deer” | 0 |
| 10. | Lev | Eastern Europe | “Lion” | 24 |
Methodology:
The research involved a thorough analysis of the official 2024 Office for National Statistics (ONS) baby name registration data for England and Wales (based on a total of 594,677 live births). Here is how we identified our Wanderlust Hidden Gems:
- First, we analysed the linguistic and cultural roots of the names occupying the ONS top 100 to map out the most influential countries for modern British names.
- We then identified names that are currently high ranking or culturally significant within those countries of origin.
- We cross-referenced these international favourites with the full 2024 UK dataset. A name was officially classified as a “Hidden Gem” if it remains popular in its origin country but recorded fewer than 50 individual registrations in the UK, placing them safely outside the mainstream.
- The final selection was curated based on their phonetic beauty, compelling meanings, and how smoothly they fit into active British styling trends.
Want to find out more about names? Discover the beautiful traditional names at risk of becoming extinct in 2026.
