James preferred

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33740, 13 January 1975, Page 6

James preferred

(N.Z.P.A. stafi Correspondent) LONDON.

Top people in Britain may have less and less money to bequeath to their sons and daughters in these inflationary times, but there is one thing they can still be assured of passing on to their heirs: a good, . traditional English name. If the child is male and his parents read "The ; Times,” his chances of hav- ' ing James as a Christian name are faily high: last year, of the 2500-odd male births reported in the paper, ' more than 240 of them were designated a James. Similarly, 260 little girls of the 2300 female births reported were called either Louisp or Jane. In 1974, James was top favourite for the eleventh year running, but John, Alexander and William are still going strong in second, third and fourth places, with Charles and Edward a close fifth and sixth. Nearly as popular still are Thomas, Richard, Nicholas, Robert, David, Henry and Peter. Baby daughters of people taking “The Times” are now

likely to be called Jane or Louise than any other name. For the first time in recent years these two names headed the girls’ field last year, Louise having squeezed Elizabeth into third position.

High among the favourites for girls are Mary, Sarah, Lucy and Victoria. Catherine (with a “C”) in eighth position was only slightly more popular than Katherine (with a “K”), Clare, or Claire, Anna, Emma, Sophie, Charlotte, and Helen were also well patronised by readers of “The Times.”

A few brave parents opted for less traditional names, chosing unusual ones like Orlanda and Sandrine for girls, and Gethyn and Jarlath for boys, but even these names were not quite as bizarre as those chosen by, ; trendy readers of the “Daily Telegraph.”

According to that newspaper’s computed list of names published in its own 174 birth columns, the most way-out were Portly and Daks for boys, and Xanic and Zenophy for girls.

Hot favourites among “Daily Telegraph” readers? No less than good old James for boys, for the eighth year in succession, and Sarah or Lucy for girls.