Baby name with powerful meaning faces extinction while two Irish names make comeback

Daily Record

30-04-2025

Baby names can be a right bug-bearer for parents who may find it difficult settling on a moniker that they both like. Choosing a name for your child is a rather daunting task simply because they will have it for the rest of their lives. But as baby naming trends grow bolder and more imaginative , we are also seeing the decline of many once-popular choices. So, which names are becoming less common, and fading more into obscurity with each passing year? The Life Insurance team at Compare the Market has analysed baby name trends from 2013 to 2023 to uncover the UK's most declining names. They used the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to do so. In what may come as a surprise to some, Alexa is the girl's name facing extinction in the UK. This historically rich name, which is the female version of Alex, means 'defender of men' or 'protector of men' and is of Greek origin . The data shows a striking drop in the number of babies named Alexa. The number of babies called Alexa decreased from 319 in 2013 to only eight in 2023, a decline of 97 per cent. This decline coincides with the launch of Amazon's Alexa voice assistant in 2014, suggesting it may have influenced naming trends. Kaitlin is a close second, falling by over 96 per cent. Kaitlin is an alternative spelling of Caitlin, a girl's name of Irish origin , meaning "pure". Meanwhile, Leland is the boy's name that has seen the steepest decline in popularity over the past decade, dropping by 96 per cent. In 2013, 136 babies were named Leland, compared to just six in 2023. Once appreciated for its natural, outdoorsy feel, the name has quietly fallen by the wayside. For girls, Maeva claims the top spot for names that are skyrocketing in popularity. This elegant name, meaning 'welcome' in French, has grown by a whopping 10,000 per cent over the past decade. And the second name having a surge is Fiadh, which rose by 3,300 per cent. This girl's moniker comes from the Irish fia, meaning "deer" and "wildness." Elsewhere, Irish titles continue to do extremely well in the findings. Maeve is the top-trending tradition baby girl name, having increased by nearly 2,000 per cent over the past decade. Maeve means "intoxicating" or "she who rules". Irish mythology fans will recognise Maeve as the Queen of Connacht and the Goddess of Love and Desire . The late Maeve Binchy was also a hugely popular author and journalist . "Whether you go for a traditional name or something more unique, we hope our research helps new parents find the perfect name for their little one," Tom Lyon from the life insurance team at Compare the Market said.