James and Grace return as most popular baby names in Northern Ireland

By Rebecca Black (PA)

James and Grace have reclaimed the top spots as the most popular baby names in Northern Ireland.

Both emerged as the most popular first names given to the boys and girls born in the region in 2024, according to statistics published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

James returned to the number one spot after a six-year stretch between 2015 and 2020, regaining it in 2022, while Grace returned to the top after five years from 2018 to 2022.

James was closely followed by Cillian, while Noah was the third most popular boys name, followed by Jack, Theo, Jude, Luca, Charlie, Oisin and Oliver.

In the boys’ top 100, the highest climbers between 2023 and 2024 were Austin, Rossa, Callum and Joseph.

For girls, Olivia came in second followed by Fiadh, then Aoife, Emily, Lily/Charlotte, Isla/Sophia and Freya.

Some of the less common names for boys included Royce, Bentley and Phoenix, and for girls included Dolly, Primrose and Melody.

Birth registrations in 2024 included 948 baby names that had not been used before, with movies, TV series, celebrities and memorable places appearing to be influencing factors for some parents.

A pair of baby's hands Less common names given to baby boys in 2024 were Royce, Bentley, and Phoenix (Alamy Stock Photo)