The Most Popular Baby Names Around the World

Every continent has its own customs and quirks, including baby names! Check out the most popular ones for children in child development centres across 25 countries—there’s a lot that can be revealed with just a name.

28 Jan, 2020

We may share our names with thousands of others around the world but a name is still very personal. They can be reflective of a parent’s desire for their child’s future or reveal interesting information about a place of birth, contextual trends and family legacies. Compassion serves more than two million children in 25 countries—that’s a lot of names!

In Australia, the most common children’s names include Charlotte, Olivia and Ava for girls and Oliver, William and Jack for boys.

Compared to the most common names in Australia, taking a closer look at the popular children’s names across each country provides a glimpse into the nation’s unique culture and customs.

Check out the top three names for boys and girls in our program and their meanings:

Africa

Home to 54 countries, the continent of Africa is a melting pot of different cultures and ethnic groups. Across countries in Africa, there can be up to nine different ways to name a newborn baby. From the events surrounding a child’s birth to the emotional state of a family at the time of birth, a child born in Africa will usually have a unique story behind their name.

In Kenya, babies from the Lou ethnic group are known for adopting famous names such as ‘Barak’, ‘Churchill’ or ‘Clinton’. In Ghana, children can be named according to the order of their birth: ‘Panyin’ and ‘Kakra’ are unisex names meaning older and younger twin. Several countries in Africa will also reference their religion and spirituality, selecting baby names based on people from the Bible. In Nigeria, names starting or ending with ‘Chi’ is common, referencing the Igo and Yoruba name for God.

When we discovered the most popular baby names for Compassion-assisted children in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda, we noticed a strong reference to God:

Burkina Faso

Ethiopia

Ghana

Kenya

Rwanda

Tanzania

Togo

Uganda

Asia

With roughly 4.5 billion people, choosing a unique baby name is not easy for many families in Asian countries. It’s not unheard of for families to outsource the naming of their newborn to a religious leader in the community who chooses the most auspicious name based on the baby’s date of birth. In China, popular baby’s names are derived from the characteristics of that particular zodiac year or based on historical events such as the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.

In Thailand, children are also given a ‘nickname’. Choosing a name is an integral decision that can determine the child’s luck and fortune. Some adults will change their given name or adopt a new nickname if they believe their original name no longer brings luck or good fortune. Names can also be based on practicalities like the names Wayan, Putu or Gede, the Balinese name for ‘firstborn’.

According to the most popular boys and girls names for children in centres across Bangladesh, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, names can include beautiful descriptions such as ‘Nethmi’ (meaning ‘eyes like gems’), hopeful desires for a fortunate future and the baby’s value (e.g. Putri means ‘princess’ in Indonesia).

Bangladesh

Philippines

Indonesia

Thailand

Sri Lanka

The Americas

The South American continent includes a variety of Spanish, Portuguese and French influences that have contributed to the diverse blend of cultures across its countries. The strong Latin influence is obvious in the common baby names shared throughout the continent.

The structure and order of a child’s name is distinct in every country—in Colombia, children will have two surnames: a paternal surname followed by a maternal surname. When a grown woman gets married, her second surname will be replaced by her husband’s first surname.

The new combination will be joined by adding the preposition ‘de’. In Mexico however, the firstborn son is named after his father and the firstborn daughter will be named after her mother. Some babies in Mexico can have up to three names, based on a national celebration or family member.

Similarly in Brazil, babies have a combination of first names and surnames that have a variety of meanings. One of their names may be based on a historical figure such as a saint or martyr. A baby’s name may also be derived from a brand-new name that combines part of the father and mother’s name.

Bolivia

Brazil

Colombia

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Haiti

Honduras

Mexico

Every child is uniquely and wonderfully made in the image of our God, but their name can also reveal a lot about the child’s origin and family. If your sponsored child shares one of these names, discovering the meaning behind it might give you some inspiration for your next letter and help you pray for their future!

Find a child with one of these names here!

SOURCES: Expats in Mexico, Slate, Romper, Sixth Tone, Thai Blogs, The World of Chinese, BBC.

Words by Shona Yang

Photos by Juana Ordoñez, Helen Manson, Lina Marcela Alarcón Molina, Jonatan Ruiz, Christian Agha, Vera Aurima, Juana Ordoñez