Fewer Babies Born in Australia in 2024 as Oliver and Isla Dominate the Baby Names Charts
Australians continue to prefer timeless, melodic, classic names.
Australia has welcomed another group of little ones with names like Islas, Charlottes, Amelias, Olivers, Noahs, and Leos, as shown by birth name data from the nation’s largest state.
Western Australia (WA) led the way by releasing its 2024 name data, revealing that new parents are sticking to enduring names such as Oliver, Noah, and Leo, who once again topped the charts.
Oliver maintained its top position for the third consecutive year, as reported by the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages.
Oscar climbed five places to become the 10th most popular boy’s name.
In 2024, there were 30,825 babies born in WA, 1457 fewer than in 2023.
It marked the lowest number of births in WA since 2007.
The data suggests that Australians will probably continue to favor timeless, melodic classic names for girls as well, with names like Isla, Charlotte, and Amelia leading the way in WA in 2024.
Isla, chosen for 136 babies, was the most popular name.
Charlotte also took the lead, moving up from the 4th spot in recent years.
Amelia, used 135 times in 2024, followed closely as the second most popular name.
While there weren’t significant changes in the list from previous years, there were some names that gained popularity.
Violet rose 10 spots to reach 6th place, and Isabella climbed 11 spots to become the 10th most popular name in 2024.
The top three names for boys and girls have consistently been part of the top 10 baby names in WA for the past decade.
Alison Jackson, the Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, mentioned that regional data reflected localized trends, with different names ranking high in certain areas.
“For example, in the Goldfields-Esperance region, Ethan and Harper were the top names; Mia was the favorite girl’s name in the South West/Great Southern area, and Levi was the most popular boys’ name in Peel,” she explained.
The data indicates that Australians can anticipate a similar trend in other states, with NSW, Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia also featuring the most popular names from WA in their 2023 top 10 lists.
Their 2024 data is expected to be released by the end of January or early February.