In a sea of Olivias and Henrys, here’s why I still believe in timeless names—and welcome the return of Otto

While a new wave of contemporary names like River, Willow, Bodhi and Delilah are becoming playground staples as a nation why do we still love a name that is ‘timelessly tasteful’.

Traditional royal names like William, Charlie, Henry, and Harry stand the test of time year on year for our boys.

Guaranteed not to raise any grandparents' eyebrows, picking a classic name has that quiet luxury vibe of choosing a classic Barbour jacket - it’s an investment piece that will always be wearable and last a lifetime.

We adore the name Olivia which has held the top spot for many years alongside pretty Amelia meaning “hard working” and sophisticated Emily meaning “to strive”.

It could feel like an unimaginative pick that sets your daughter up for a lifetime of sharing her name with her classmates and struggling to stand out; however, there are lots of pros to sharing a universally beloved name.

Just like Louise in the 90s and Sarah in the 80s - we collectively agree on Olivia as the ‘girl next door’ of her generation.

Opting out of trends and fast-fashion names is its own statement; understated and elegant with no need to try hard to make a good impression.

While having a traditional, classic name will always be appealing to British parents, there’s still a lot of desire for a name that is ‘ownable’ and memorable.

Amongst a sea of Noah and Olivias - how will your child stand out in a world where their success will arguably depend as much on being discoverable online as in person?

I always recommend looking further back in time to find a rare vintage classic that solves this very modern dilemma; Alma, Sidney, Daphne, and Otto are all seeing a resurgence in the charts with all the benefits of Olivia and Noah but none of the pitfalls

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SJ Strum is BabyCentre’s baby name expert and has written a book on choosing the correct name for your child which was released in May called Baby Name Envy

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