The 100+ Poshest Names in Britain

Updated Mon Jan 22 2024

Posh British names are famed for their characteristic quirk and charm. Delightfully extravagant combinations such as Aurelia Athena Mirabelle and Cosmo Leopold Jasper pepper the birth announcement pages of the London-based Telegraph newspaper.

(To generate your very own Telegraph-worthy name combination, take our fun quiz: What's Your Posh Name?)

Posh Names

Of course, the poshest people in Britain arguably have the most ordinary names: Charles, William, Catherine, George, Charlotte. But the controversial term “posh” encompasses far more than just status or lineage.

Love it or loathe it – and we tend to come down on the latter side – it’s a very popular shorthand for a very particular style: rare, rarefied, refined… and yes, maybe a little bit pompous or pretentious.

So, what are the posh names of the moment? The choices that exemplify that oh-so-British blend of elegance and eccentricity?

We analyzed the Telegraph announcements from the past year to reveal what’s hot and what’s not among the British upper classes.

Posh British Girl Names

The most popular first names for girls provide a perfect snapshot of how different the Telegraph rankings are from the official popular British names charts.

Clementine (#175 nationally) and Eliza (#43) were the top picks for Telegraph parents last year. They were used four times each in a population of 153 baby girls.

In a nine-way tie for second place, with three births apiece, were Cecily (#709 nationally), Charlotte (#25), Clara (#94), Cleo (#138), Lily (#7), Martha (#103), Matilda (#28), Serena (#389), and Olympia, which ranks way down at #1128, with only 30 babies in 2021.

The most popular middle name for girls was Rose, which was used in a middle position 13 times, yet never as a first name. Nationally, Rose ranks at #68 as a first name.

Head a little further down the list and you’ll find many more stylish British girl names that were used multiple times by Telegraph parents in the first or middle slot, yet rank below the official Top 100.

Posh British Boy Names

The most popular Telegraph first names for boys also include several choices absent from the national Top 100, but the very top picks remain the classics.

The top spot this year was claimed by distinguished classic Frederick, with seven uses in a population of 182 baby boys. Frederick was also the most popular first name for Telegraph babies in 2022.

Another classic, Henry, was in second place with six uses. And British favorites George, Max and Oscar tied for third place with five uses each.

As well as classics like Alexander, William, and Jack, among the rarer names given to four baby boys this year were Alfred (#80 nationally) and Cosmo (#751) and Hugo (#45).

The most popular middle names for boys were Charles and James, which were each used 12 times in the middle spot, but only four and three times respectively as first names.

A little further down the charts you’ll find a treasure trove of distinguished British boy names below the official Top 100, but used multiple times by Telegraph parents.

Unique British Girl Names

Even more enticing are the unique British names which appeared in just one birth announcement from the past year and also rank below the Top 1000 baby names in England and Wales.

On the girls' side, these rarities range from classical and literary names like Hestia, Perdita and Viola, to sweet and quirky nicknames as given names, like Letty, Lulu and Tiggy.

Also making the list are neglected classics in style limbo, like Susan and Joan, names hailing from the British Isles such as Bronwen and Tamsin, and gems from elsewhere in the world, like Ludovica and Svanna.

These lovely choices are ideal for parents looking for truly unique girl names with a long and legitimate history.

Unique British Boy Names

The unique Telegraph boy names this year featured a whole host of dashing family surnames given as middle names – a tradition amongst the British upper classes.

Some of our favorite examples include Fitzjames, Milligan, Chandos and Wheeler – all bold but wearable, even in the first name slot.

Other popular styles with the latest crop of Telegraph parents are weighty ancient names like Aurelius, Balthazar and Cornelius, chivalrous names like Percival and Peregrine, and jaunty O-ending names such as Rollo, Tassilo, and Mungo.

Along with Mungo, there are several other unique boy names on the list with origins in the Celtic-speaking parts of the British Isles, including Denzil, Jowan, and Marmaduke. Little-used even in their native lands, they would be truly distinctive choices elsewhere.

About the Author

Clare Green and Emma Waterhouse

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