If you’re tempted to name your child after a Game of Thrones character, don’t worry. You’re not alone.
In the UK, 53 baby girls were named Khaleesi in 2014, after the pale-haired monarch in the popular television series. Nine got the name Daenerys (after the same character, the former being strictly a title rather than a name), 244 were called Arya, and six Sansa.
The influence of celebrity names also showed in the statistics released today (Aug. 17). Harper, the name of the Beckhams’ daughter, entered the top 100 for the first time at number 89—though no children got her middle name, Seven.
But in both boys’ and girls’ names, several stalwarts of the last ten years continued to top the rankings. Oliver has been one of the top two boys’ names since 2008.
Amelia was the most popular girls’ name, and has been since 2011. But Isla has made a meteoric rise, from obscurity in 2004 to third place last year.
The popularity of the name, Muhammad, and its variants has also caused some claims that it’s now the most popular name for a boy in the UK. That’s been disputed by critics of the methodology that lumps all the different spellings together but separates, for example, Oliver and Ollie.
While it does likely point to an increase in the number of babies born to Muslim families in the UK, it’s also worth noting that a higher proportion of Muslim boys are called Muhammed, or a variant, than are given one single name in Western cultures.
Kian, meanwhile, showed the largest rise within the top 100 boys’ names, gaining 41 places to reach number 54. Aisha showed the largest rise within the girls’ top 100, gaining 18 places to number 76. And the Office for National Statistics itself had a stab at why some names had gained such popularity.
At least no one’s going for “Wolverine.”