Last year, the archipelago of Orkney (located about 10 miles off the north coast of Scotland) welcomed 146 babies — 64 girls and 82 boys.
What were the most popular names among these babies? Una and Zara were tied at #1 for girls, while “Harry was the most popular name for a peedie boy,” according to data released by the Orkney Islands Council’s Registrar Service.
Here are Orkney’s top girl names and top boy names of 2024:
Girl names
- Una, 3 baby girls (tie)
- Zara, 3 (tie)
- Alba, 2 (tie) – the Scottish-Gaelic name for Scotland.
- Ella, 2 (tie)
Boy names
- Harry, 3 baby boys
- Charlie, 2 (10-way tie)
- Ernie, 2 (10-way tie)
- Finn, 2 (10-way tie)
- Fraser, 2 (10-way tie)
- Finlay, 2 (10-way tie)
- Harris, 2 (10-way tie)
- Noah, 2 (10-way tie)
- Ollie, 2 (10-way tie)
- Ruben, 2 (10-way tie)
- Ronnie, 2 (10-way tie)
I’ve never posted rankings for Orkney before, but here are the most recent rankings for Scotland (2023). Nationally, Zara sits at 35th, Harry at 42nd, and Una at 322nd.
Sources: Orkney’s most popular baby names of 2024 revealed – Orkney Islands Council, Orkney – Wikipedia
Image: Adapted from Flag of Orkney (public domain)
I love that these are pretty different than the usual top names. Ella is ubiquitous, of course, but Una, Zara, and Alba were not expected. I particularly love Zara. I have only known one Zara, very briefly. I think she was born in 1975, and she was from Falmouth, Mass., a friend of my college roommate.
I wonder if Orkney’s a very casual place, since so many of the boys’ names are diminutives rather than the full names Charles, Ernest, Oliver, etc.
I was today years old when I learned the Orkney Islands have a “Scandinavian” flag!
I love Una (I prefer the spelling Oona) Lamb. I first heard the name in the 1984 movie Legend (the one with the Unicorns lol) she was one of the Fae.
I used the name in one of my books I like it so much!
Zara reminds me of Princess Zara Tindell (Phillips)
These are such lovely names for the children.