Top 15 most popular football inspired baby names

Football has a long history of influencing baby names. Names like Beckham and Ronaldo to the more common Harry and James. This year, England has made it to the World Cup semi-final, and with millions of fans cheering them on, experts are expecting a new generation of football-inspired names to top the charts.

To find out which current stars are already making their mark, the team at JoJo Maman Bébé have analysed new ONS data to reveal how many newborns across England and Wales share a first name with members of the current England squad. There are already a few playground favourites topping the list.

The data shows 2,153 babies were named Jude last year – potentially inspired by Jude Bellingham.

Harry was another top name, with 1,718 babies in 2025, possibly as an homage to England’s captain Harry Kane.

Other football classics like Declan, Morgan and Ollie are continuing to grow in popularity.

Anne Varsanyi, head of buying at JoJo Maman Bébé, said: “Choosing a baby’s name is one of the first opportunities parents have to express something about their family, whether that’s honouring tradition, celebrating heritage or simply choosing a name they love.

“What’s particularly fascinating about this year’s data is seeing how quickly tastes can change.

“Some names that once filled classrooms have become increasingly rare, while others that were barely heard a generation ago are now among the country’s favourites.”