Press release
Old style names for babies born in 2024
Trendsetting titles: Older adults names
Old style baby names are firmly back on trend, with Ivy and Arthur proving some of the most popular in 2023. For those looking for baby name inspiration in 2024, we step back in time to explore the 100-year rule, revealing the top retro name choices for Bupa care home residents born a century ago.
Top baby girl names for residents born in 1924:
- 1. Margaret
- 2. Patricia
- 3. Jean
- 4. Joan
- 5. Mary
Top baby boy names for residents born in 1924:
- 1. John
- 2. David
- 3. Peter
- 4. Michael
- 5. Robert
Old style girls' names
For those looking for vintage names for girls, we take a closer look at Bupa care home residents whose names fit this category:
Margaret
From the Greek word meaning 'pearl'
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, Margaret was one of England and Wales most popular names until the mid 1950s. It has steadily regained some of its popularity over the last decade. Most recently, 106 new babies were named Margaret.
Our analysis found Margaret to be the most common name among all of our Bupa care home residents. Nearly 4% of our female residents are named Margaret. It was the most common name for baby girls in 1924.
Patricia
From the Latin word for ‘patrician’, a noble or high-ranking person
The name Patricia was one of the trendiest names in England and Wales between the 1920s, standing at number 31 in 1924. After the 1950s, the name fell out of favour in the latter half of the century. According to the most recent data, sixty babies born in England and Wales were named Patricia.
Almost a quarter of Bupa’s Patricias were born in the 1920s. This was the second name topping our girls’ list.
Jean
Derived from the male name, ‘John’
A common name for babies in the early 20th century, Jean ranked at number 12 in 1924. However, the Scottish equivalent, Jane, was the name to only 11 babies in England and Wales most recently.
Jean is a common name amongst our female care home residents, belonging to just under 3% of them.
Joan
Another female variation of ‘John’, meaning ‘God is gracious’
Featuring in England and Wales’s most popular baby names in the first half of the twentieth century, it’s not quite as common as it used to be. Most recent records show only 17 new Joans were born. In 1924, Joan was the third most common girls’ baby name.
Joan is also the fourth most common name among our residents.
Mary
Derived from the name, ‘Maria’
Last but not least, is Mary. Mary remained in the top baby names list until the mid-1980s. In 1924, Mary was the second most common name for baby girls. Though more baby Marys have been born in the last decade, it’s fallen out of the top 300 most popular names in England and Wales.
The name takes joint fourth place in the list of common names amongst our residents.
Old style boys’ names
Most of us will know a John, Peter or Michael, but are any of them newborns? Here, we discover the top five names for Bupa’s male care home residents to see how trends have changed over time.
John
A name from Hebrew origin
The name, John, was the top baby boy name in 1924 across England and Wales. It remained firmly in the list of popular names until the 2010s. Since then, it’s fallen out of the top 100.
The most recent name records show 359 baby Johns were born. This makes it the 154th most popular name in England and Wales.
Johns take the top spot in the tally of Bupa’s care home residents.
David
Another name with Hebrew roots
Back in 1924, David was the 21st most common name for baby boys. In recent years, this name has had a resurgence for new-borns. This is no doubt thanks to celebrities like David Beckham, David Tennant and David Bowie.
David has held its place in the top 65 names in England and Wales in the 21st century. Recent records show an impressive 961 number of baby Davids born in England and Wales.
David is also a common name amongst Bupa’s care home residents across the country, too.
Peter
From the Greek word for ‘rock’ or ‘stone’
Peter was the 11th most common name for baby boys in 1924. Though this name has dropped in popularity since the turn of the century, it ranked at number 233 in England and Wales in most recently. That’s 215 new baby Peters.
Peter also makes number three on our male resident name list.
Michael
The third name on our list of Hebrew origin
In 1924, Michael was the 40th most common name for baby boys. Michael remained firmly in the top 60 names in England and Wales until 2017. It then dropped to the top 80 bracket.
Michael continues to be a favourable baby name choice today, with 749 registered in England and Wales in most recently.
Robert
Derived from the German name, Hrodebert
Robert was the eighth most common name for boys born in 1924. The name fell out of the top 20 in England and Wales after the 1980s. It has steadily dropped down the list of top name after the turn of the century. Most recently, only 394 Roberts were born. This is an 11% drop from the number of Roberts born in 2020.
Robert is the fifth most popular name among our care home residents.
Popular baby names in Bupa care homes
Learn more about our residents with names taking the top spots.
Margaret
Heol Don Care Home, Cardiff
Of Bupa’s Margarets, 30 were born during the 1920s. This includes 101-year-old Margaret of Heol Don Care Home, Cardiff.
A long line of Margarets precede her, with her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother all sharing the same name. To commemorate her 100th birthday, Margaret was given the bounty gift from the president of Ireland, along with a letter from The Pope!Margaret was known as Peggy in her schooldays because the class had another two Margarets. She now lives alongside another four ladies sharing her name at Heol Don.
Joan
Sandhills Court Care Home, Scunthorpe
Joan Falconer, from Bupa Sandhills Court Care Home in Scunthorpe, is one of our oldest residents. Joan was named after her father’s sister.
When asked about her name, Joan remarked, “I like my name because it’s short and easy to write and spell!”.
Help when you need it
Choosing a care home can be stressful, especially if you’ve never done it before. Where do you start? Well, right here. Our helpful, understanding customer care team offer free advice on anything from funding to finding the right home.
Call a customer care team on 0345 600 4622^
Ask us to assess your situation and talk to you about paying for care.
Find care homes that might be right for you, and book one or more visits.
