105 Traditional & Trendy British Baby Names

Whether you have British heritage or simply love anything that comes out of the United Kingdom — which comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland — why not consider British baby names for your little one? It’s a country with a rich cultural heritage that has a tendency to draw inspiration from the many other cultures it comes into contact with. Names with French, German, Latin, and Nordic roots pervade British baby name lists and have, over time, become distinctly associated with Great Britain. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

British baby boy names

British boy names can run the gamut in terms of vibe — elegant, rustic, timeless, trendy — but all tell the world “This is a fine young Briton.” These baby names from Scotland, Wales, and England often have roots from off the island, owing to Britains tendency to attract sea-faring voyagers from all over Europe. They are baby names that convey strength, dignity, and tradition. Of course, there are the names of multiple kings in there for good measure.

• William (“strong protector,” the name of multiple English kings)
• Henry (“home ruler,” the name of many English kings)
• Malcolm (“devotee of St. Columba,” the name of several Scottish kings)
• Graham (“gray homestead”)
• Charles (“free man,” the name of three British monarchs)
• George (“farmer,” the name of six kings)
• Alastair (“man’s defender”)
• Edward (“wealthy guard,” among the most common names for British rulers)
• Duncan (“dark-skinned warrior,” the name of an 11th century Scottish king)
• Monty (diminutive form of Montgomery; “mountain belonging to the ruler”)
• Rafe (“wolf counsel”)
• Archie (diminutive of Archibald; “genuine and bold”)
• Rupert (“fame bright”)
• Simon (“to hear”)
• Arthur (“bear,” name of the legendary King of the Britons)
• Phillip (“lover of horses”)
• John (“God is gracious,” the name of several early English kings)
• Reginald (“ruler’s advisor”)
• Harrison (“son of Harry”)
• Miles (“soldier”)
• Alfred (“elf counsel”)
• Dexter (“right-handed, favorable” also “one who dyes fabric”; names that end in “-ter” such as “Baxter,” “Webster,” and “Brewster” often refer to professions traditionally done by women.)
• Cedric (a name invented by Sir Walter Scott in the 19th century for his novel Ivanhoe)
• Cooper (“barrel maker”)
• James (“supplanter,” the name of two kings)
• Wesley (“western meadow”)
• Milton (“mill town,” name of the 17th century poet John Milton, who wrote Paradise Lost)
• Ross (“headland,” referring to points in Scotland in particular that extend far out into the sea)
• Clarence (“clear”)
• Landon (“long hill”)
• Lloyd (“gray-haired, sacred”)
• St. John (pronounced “sin-jin,” this name is probably best known for being the first name of the love interest in Jane Eyre)
• Beckett (“beehive”)
• Greyson (“son of the gray-haired man”)
• Alvin (“elf friend”)
• Crispin (“curly haired”)
• Peregrin (“traveler, wanderer” also the full name of Pippin Took in The Lord of the Rings)
• Davydd (pronounced “dahv-eth,” “beloved”)
• Ewan (“warrior”)
• Logan (“hollow”)
• Cameron (“crooked nose”)
• Reid (“red haired”)

British baby girl names

Some of these names need not be defined, because it is not uncommon in British girl names to draw inspiration from nature. (Think flowers, plants, and “virtue” names, like “Prudence.”) As with British boy names, many of these “little lass” names have roots in cultures outside of Great Britain, but would never be mistaken for anything other than British and, indeed, many come straight from the royal palaces of the isle, having been given several times over to queens.

• Ivy
• Beatrice (“bringer of joy/blessings”)
• Ann/e (“grace,” the name of various queens of England)
• Elizabeth (“God’s promise,” the name of two of the longest reigning monarchs in British history)
• Emily (“rival, laborious, eager”)
• Clara (“bright, famous”)
• Rose
• Mary (“bitter, beloved, wished for child, sea, rebelliousness,” the name of multiple queens of England)
• Edith (“prosperous in strife”)
• Millicent (“strong in work”)
• Annabel (“grace and beauty”)
• Victoria (“victorious”)
• Henrietta (“home ruler”)
• Isobel (“God’s promise,” a variation on Elizabeth)
• Catherine (“pure,” the name of various queens of England as well as the likely future queen, Kate Middleton)
• Imogen (“maiden, beloved child”)
• Margaret (“pearl,” the name of multiple queens of England)
• Phillippa (“horse lover”)
• Tabitha ( “gazelle”)
• Winifred (“joy and peace”)
• Harriet (“home ruler”)
• Pixie (“fairy”)
• Matilda (“mighty in battle,” the name of two queens of England)
• Eleanor (“light,” the name of Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen of France and then England)
• Jemima (“dove”)
• Charlotte (“free woman”)
• Georgina (“farmer”)
• Alexandrina (“defender of mankind,” the given name of Queen Victoria)
• Evelyn (uncertain origin and meaning, possibly “beauty”)
• Virginia (“virginal,” often a reference to Elizabeth I, known as the Virgin Queen)
• Vanessa (a name invented by Jonathan Swift by combining the first and last names of his lover, Esther “Essa” Vanhomrigh; it has come to mean “butterfly”)
• Gemma (“gem, jewel”)
• Kitty (diminutive of Katherine)
• Sybil (“prophetess”)
• Whitney (“white island”)
• Lavender
• Temperence (“moderation, self restraint”)
• Mildred (“gentle strength”)
• Shirley (“bright meadow”)
• Mercy
• Wendy (invented by James Barrie in 1904 for Peter Pan, it’s rumored to be a play on the word “friend”)
• Agatha (“good, honorable”)
• Brenda (“sword”)
• Chelsea (“chalk wharf”)
• Hazel
• Jane (“God is gracious”)
• Felicity (“luck and happiness”)

British gender neutral baby names

Some of the most unique British baby names can be used for boys, girls, and everyone in-between. A lot of these names are diminutive forms of traditionally masculine names, names deriving from a profession, and names that come from nature. While many of these British baby names might seem very modern, most go back centuries, for a name that’s simultaneously fresh and traditional.

• Jamie (“supplanter”)
• Addison (“son of Adam”)
• Hunter
• Kit (diminutive of Katherine, “pure,” or Christopher, “Christ bearer”)
• Hayden (“heathen”)
• Ridley (“reed meadow”)
• Blake (“dark haired,” “pale”)
• Bailey (“fortification, bailiff”)
• Marley (“marshy meadow, pleasant meadow”)
• Lane (“path”)
• Brooke (“stream”)
• Tate (“cheerful,” also the name of London’s premiere modern art museum)
• Briar (“thorny”)
• Kelsey (“ship’s victory”)
• Avery (“ruler of elves”)
• Devon (a county in the soutwest of England)
• Mackenzie (“born of fire,” “son of Kenneth,” “good-looking”)
• Robin (diminutive form of Robert, “bright fame,” also a reference to the bird)
• Freddie (diminutive of Frederick, Fredericka, and Winifred, “peaceful ruler”)
• Lennon (uncertain meaning, either “lover” or“blackbird”)
• Charlie (diminutive of Charles or Charlotte, “free person”)

With this list, you’ll be able to find a British baby name faster than you can say, “Bob’s your uncle.”