The 2013 data for England&Wales is due out on the 15th August, thus, I’ve been looking at the potential contenders for the Top 100. All these names are lurking just behind the 100 mark and most have experienced rapid rises in popularity in recent years, and we”l find out on Friday whether any have made it into the Top 100.
1. Seren
She has consistently ranking in the solo Welsh Top 100 for many years now (at #7 in 2012), and on the joint list she’s at #104 (rising from #127 in 2011). That means she could continue right into the Top 100 for the joint England&Wales list, for which she’ll be a most welcome addition. Seren means star in Welsh.
2. Olly
As Oliver has been a Top 10 mainstay for awhile now it seems only logical that the nation who loves nicknames would eventually come to use Olly in the masses. He’s been rapidly rising for the past 5 years and ranked at #122 in 2011, then #106 in 2012.
3. Alexis, g
For the past two years, Alexis has ranked at #101, meaning that she has just missed out for two years running now. All it takes is one last spur and she’ll finally crack the Top 100. The name Alexis is of Greek origins and means defender.
4. Ronnie
First derived as a nickname for the out-of-fashion Ronald (still, despite the Harry Potter exposure), the name Ronnie in the UK appears to be shaking off the Kray twins association (Ronnie and Reggie Kray were criminal gangsters in the East of London in the 1950s/1960s). He rose from #142 to #105 between 2011 and 2012.
5. Lottie
She jumped from #138 to #112 between 2011 and 2012. Lottie is a short form of Charlotte (#20), who is slowly slipping down the rankings (down from #5 in 2000), and she fits with the nickname-love trend that’s been ongoing for several years now.
Aside form the above five names, other names to watch for are Darcy / Darcie (#107/#122, respectively. Sister Darcey joined the Top 100 last year), Iris (#122), Annabel (#109), Albert (#109, I would be thrilled if this hits the Top 100), Jasper (#129), and Felix (#114).
Mer de Noms 