Short baby names

Short names are clean, modern and travel well. This list is computed, not curated: it is every name of four letters or fewer inside the official ONS 2024 top 50 for each sex, ranked by popularity. Out of the ONS 2024 top 50, 56 names fit this theme, led by Noah at number 2 in the boys' list. Every name here links to its own page with the full ONS rank, the number of babies given it, and a note on its meaning. The popularity figures are the real Office for National Statistics figures for 2024 in England and Wales; which names belong to the theme is our editorial selection from the official top 50.

Girls' names

  • #3Lily the lily flower, a symbol of purity
  • #4Isla the island, after the Scottish island and river Islay
  • #5Ivy the ivy plant, associated with fidelity
  • #9Ava commonly linked to bird or to life
  • #14Mia a short form of Maria, and mine in Italian
  • #15Maya water or illusion in Sanskrit and a form of Maia in Greek
  • #29Evie a pet form of Eve, life
  • #35Aria air or melody, a solo song
  • #39Ella all or other, also a short form of Eleanor
  • #40Ada noble
  • #41Ruby the red gemstone, from ruber, red
  • #46Mila gracious or dear
  • #47Ayla halo of light in Turkish, oak tree in Hebrew
  • #48Luna the moon
  • #51Esme esteemed or beloved
  • #54Eva life, a form of Eve
  • #58Orla golden princess, from Orlaith
  • #59Rose the rose flower
  • #60Eden delight or paradise
  • #61Iris rainbow, the messenger goddess, also the flower
  • #65Erin from Eire, a poetic name for Ireland
  • #66Thea goddess, also a short form of Dorothea
  • #69Emma whole or universal
  • #69Zara blooming flower or radiance
  • #74Lyla a form of Layla, night
  • #80Nova new
  • #82Raya an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
  • #83Lyra the lyre, also the constellation
  • #86Nora a short form of Honora, honour, or of Eleanor
  • #87Lola a pet form of Dolores, sorrows
  • #89Myla an established given name with roots across several naming traditions
  • #94Rosa rose
  • #97Sara princess, a form of Sarah
  • #98Lara a short form of Larissa, also the Roman nymph Lara
  • #99Zoe life

Boys' names

  • #2Noah rest or comfort
  • #5Leo lion
  • #7Luca from Lucania, a form of Luke
  • #11Jude praised, a form of Judah
  • #12Theo a short form of Theodore, gift of God
  • #15Arlo of debated origin, popularised in English literature
  • #22Jack a pet form of John, God is gracious
  • #24Rory red king
  • #35Adam man, from the earth
  • #38Ezra help
  • #44Max a short form of Maximilian, greatest
  • #46Hugo mind or spirit
  • #67Otis from the old name Odo, linked to wealth or fortune
  • #70Liam a short form of William, resolute protector
  • #72Kai with meanings including sea in Hawaiian, also a short form of European names
  • #73Musa the Arabic form of Moses
  • #83Finn fair or white, after the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill
  • #86Toby a form of Tobias, God is good
  • #92Enzo an Italian name linked to Henry and to Lorenzo
  • #96Milo an old name linked to Miles, sometimes read as gracious
  • #100Leon lion

Computed automatically as every ONS 2024 top-50 name with four letters or fewer. No editorial picking. Rank and count are the real ONS figures. Accessed 2026-06-14.

This list as plain text (for AI and copy)

The same names and real ONS figures as a Markdown table.

### Short baby names in the ONS 2024 top 50

| Rank | Name | Sex | Babies (2024) |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: |
| 2 | Noah | boy | 4,139 |
| 3 | Lily | girl | 2,185 |
| 4 | Isla | girl | 2,056 |
| 5 | Leo | boy | 3,324 |
| 5 | Ivy | girl | 1,956 |
| 7 | Luca | boy | 2,814 |
| 9 | Ava | girl | 1,774 |
| 11 | Jude | boy | 2,540 |
| 12 | Theo | boy | 2,387 |
| 14 | Mia | girl | 1,609 |
| 15 | Arlo | boy | 2,220 |
| 15 | Maya | girl | 1,592 |
| 22 | Jack | boy | 1,711 |
| 24 | Rory | boy | 1,588 |
| 29 | Evie | girl | 1,231 |
| 35 | Adam | boy | 1,410 |
| 35 | Aria | girl | 1,154 |
| 38 | Ezra | boy | 1,339 |
| 39 | Ella | girl | 1,108 |
| 40 | Ada | girl | 1,049 |
| 41 | Ruby | girl | 1,020 |
| 44 | Max | boy | 1,140 |
| 46 | Hugo | boy | 1,094 |
| 46 | Mila | girl | 953 |
| 47 | Ayla | girl | 922 |
| 48 | Luna | girl | 908 |
| 51 | Esme | girl | 864 |
| 54 | Eva | girl | 819 |
| 58 | Orla | girl | 746 |
| 59 | Rose | girl | 742 |
| 60 | Eden | girl | 714 |
| 61 | Iris | girl | 707 |
| 65 | Erin | girl | 689 |
| 66 | Thea | girl | 686 |
| 67 | Otis | boy | 762 |
| 69 | Emma | girl | 666 |
| 69 | Zara | girl | 666 |
| 70 | Liam | boy | 749 |
| 72 | Kai | boy | 735 |
| 73 | Musa | boy | 731 |
| 74 | Lyla | girl | 634 |
| 80 | Nova | girl | 603 |
| 82 | Raya | girl | 574 |
| 83 | Finn | boy | 637 |
| 83 | Lyra | girl | 573 |
| 86 | Toby | boy | 621 |
| 86 | Nora | girl | 549 |
| 87 | Lola | girl | 543 |
| 89 | Myla | girl | 522 |
| 92 | Enzo | boy | 584 |
| 94 | Rosa | girl | 486 |
| 96 | Milo | boy | 567 |
| 97 | Sara | girl | 476 |
| 98 | Lara | girl | 474 |
| 99 | Zoe | girl | 471 |
| 100 | Leon | boy | 545 |

Source: ONS Baby names in England and Wales, 2024 edition. Released 2025-07-31. Accessed 2026-06-14. Theme membership is BabyData editorial selection from the ONS top 50.

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Oliver Mackman

Editor, BabyData

Oliver Mackman is the named editor of BabyData and a director of Best Business Loans Ltd (Companies House 16833937), the company that operates the site. He is accountable for its editorial standards, sourcing and corrections, and requires every number to cite the underlying rule and the official UK dataset behind it, with pregnancy tools reviewed against NHS and gov.uk guidance before publication.

Last reviewed: 12 June 2026