The most popular spring baby names for girls – and some lesser-known picks if you’re bored of Lily or Daisy

BABY names in 2024 are a huge blast from the past thanks to the ‘100-year rule’.

Coined by Nameberry, the rule is "based on the assumption that it takes a full century for a name to shake off its dusty image and sound fresh again”. 

And with flowers and the spring season heavily influencing baby names in the early 1900s, it’s no surprise that this trend has had a resurgence. 

Nursery retailer Kiddies Kingdom analysed three years of Office for National Statistics data to reveal the UK’s most popular spring-inspired baby names for girls.

In first place, it’s the classic name of Lily. 

This moniker has English origins inspired by the flower of the same name, taking the top spot for most used spring-inspired name right now. 

It is followed in second place by Florence, which has been creeping up in popularity over the last decade.

Staying in the realm of flowers, Florence is a Latin name meaning flowering and prosperous. 

With floral names overall being incredibly popular, it’s no surprise to see this alternative to using a specific flower name peaking in popularity. 

In 2021 it was ranked the 8th most popular name used overall, with 2180 babies born that year taking it.

The third most popular spring-inspired name is Daisy, which is thought to originate from American-English and signifies the small white flower.

With the plant flowering from March through to October, this name is perfect for spring and summer babies alike, and could be the reason it’s ranked in the top 50 most-used names every year since 2000. 

In fourth place is Hunter, followed by Chloe, and then the floral picks of Violet and Rose. 

Also claiming a place in the top 15 is Aurora, Iris, Sonny, Olive, Eden, Owen, Nova and Anastasia. 

Kirsty Carroll, parenting expert at Kiddies Kingdom, says: “A baby’s name is one of the first gifts they get.

“So, it’s no surprise that many parents put so much time and effort into finding the right one. 

“When trying to come up with a baby name, it’s a good idea to start by deciding if you prefer commonly used or more unique names - this will help you reduce a potential list.

“From there, you can begin to take inspiration from things around you, like the current season. 

“Parents expecting babies during spring who are looking for different inspiration can also look to popular culture and existing family traditions to find a name they like. 

“Favourite TV characters, names of meaningful places, or even names influenced by beloved family members are great options.”