Have you ever wondered what names parents in Tudor England gave their daughters? Historical research into parish records reveals the most popular girls’ names in the 16th century — and how those trends shifted as monarchs rose, fashions changed, and religious influences spread.
How We Know What Names Were Popular
This question was explored by Scott Smith-Bannister in his book Names and Naming Patterns in England 1538–1700. The book examined the names that parents were giving their children during this period, why they chose particular names, and what trends emerged during the 16th and 17th centuries.
A large part of Smith-Bannister’s research involved following the records of baptisms found in 40 parish registers spread throughout England. By studying these records from 1538 to 1700, he compiled a sample of 122,710 names. This large dataset allowed him to identify naming patterns over time and across social classes.
The Top 10 Girls’ Names by Decade
Based on these records, here is a list of the top 10 girls’ names for each decade in the 16th century, starting with 1538:
Years: 1538–49
Joan
Elizabeth
Agnes
Alice
Anne
Margaret
Mary
Jane
Margery
Edith
Years: 1550–59
Elizabeth
Joan
Alice
Mary
Agnes
Margaret
Anne
Jane
Margery
Catherine
Years: 1560–69
Elizabeth
Joan
Agnes
Alice
Anne
Margaret
Mary
Catherine
Jane
Margery
Years: 1570–79
Elizabeth
Joan
Margaret
Agnes
Alice
Anne
Mary
Jane
Catherine
Elinor
Years: 1580–89
Elizabeth
Margaret
Anne
Mary
Agnes
Joan
Alice
Jane
Catherine
Isabel
Years: 1590–99
Elizabeth
Margaret
Mary
Anne
Agnes
Joan
Alice
Jane
Catherine
Isabel
The Rise (and Fall) of Elizabeth and Joan
These results show that Elizabeth was the most popular name for girls in the second half of the sixteenth century — likely no coincidence, as Queen Elizabeth I reigned from 1558 to 1603. Her popularity and longevity helped secure the name’s place at the top of the list for decades.
The name Joan was also extremely popular early in the century. However, as the decades passed, its appeal faded — a trend that would continue into the seventeenth century. Mary, which was the name of another English queen, often appeared mid-list during the 1500s, but its popularity surged in the next century. By the 1650s, it had replaced Elizabeth as the most popular girls’ name in England.
Naming Trends Among the Poor in Norwich
Smith-Bannister also points out that naming patterns were affected by both location and social status. For example, in a sample of 829 female names taken from 1570 tax records for poor residents of Norwich, the top names looked slightly different from the national averages. Here are the most common girls’ names in that sample:
Margaret
Agnes
Elizabeth
Alice
Joan
Katherine
Cecily
Margery
Helen
Anne
Here, Margaret and Agnes outranked even Elizabeth, suggesting that among lower-income families, traditional or locally significant names may have carried more weight.
What These Names Tell Us
While some Tudor-era names like Elizabeth and Mary remain popular today, others — Joan, Margery, Agnes — have largely fallen out of fashion. Yet these names offer more than just a glimpse into personal identity. They reflect the religious, royal, and regional influences that shaped English society in the sixteenth century, as well as give us a personal connection to the everyday lives of girls born nearly 500 years ago.
Names and Naming Patterns in England 1538–1700, by Scott Smith-Bannister, was published by Oxford University Press in 1997. You can learn more from the publisher’s site or buy it on Amazon.com.
Top Image: Painting of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, his sister Elizabeth, his wife Frances, and six of their seven children seated at a dining table. The girls are named Frances, Elizabeth and Margaret. Dated 1567.
Have you ever wondered what names parents in Tudor England gave their daughters? Historical research into parish records reveals the most popular girls’ names in the 16th century — and how those trends shifted as monarchs rose, fashions changed, and religious influences spread.
How We Know What Names Were Popular
This question was explored by Scott Smith-Bannister in his book Names and Naming Patterns in England 1538–1700. The book examined the names that parents were giving their children during this period, why they chose particular names, and what trends emerged during the 16th and 17th centuries.
A large part of Smith-Bannister’s research involved following the records of baptisms found in 40 parish registers spread throughout England. By studying these records from 1538 to 1700, he compiled a sample of 122,710 names. This large dataset allowed him to identify naming patterns over time and across social classes.
The Top 10 Girls’ Names by Decade
Based on these records, here is a list of the top 10 girls’ names for each decade in the 16th century, starting with 1538:
Years: 1538–49
Years: 1550–59
Years: 1560–69
Years: 1570–79
Years: 1580–89
Years: 1590–99
The Rise (and Fall) of Elizabeth and Joan
These results show that Elizabeth was the most popular name for girls in the second half of the sixteenth century — likely no coincidence, as Queen Elizabeth I reigned from 1558 to 1603. Her popularity and longevity helped secure the name’s place at the top of the list for decades.
The name Joan was also extremely popular early in the century. However, as the decades passed, its appeal faded — a trend that would continue into the seventeenth century. Mary, which was the name of another English queen, often appeared mid-list during the 1500s, but its popularity surged in the next century. By the 1650s, it had replaced Elizabeth as the most popular girls’ name in England.
Naming Trends Among the Poor in Norwich
Smith-Bannister also points out that naming patterns were affected by both location and social status. For example, in a sample of 829 female names taken from 1570 tax records for poor residents of Norwich, the top names looked slightly different from the national averages. Here are the most common girls’ names in that sample:
Here, Margaret and Agnes outranked even Elizabeth, suggesting that among lower-income families, traditional or locally significant names may have carried more weight.
What These Names Tell Us
While some Tudor-era names like Elizabeth and Mary remain popular today, others — Joan, Margery, Agnes — have largely fallen out of fashion. Yet these names offer more than just a glimpse into personal identity. They reflect the religious, royal, and regional influences that shaped English society in the sixteenth century, as well as give us a personal connection to the everyday lives of girls born nearly 500 years ago.
Names and Naming Patterns in England 1538–1700, by Scott Smith-Bannister, was published by Oxford University Press in 1997. You can learn more from the publisher’s site or buy it on Amazon.com.
Top Image: Painting of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, his sister Elizabeth, his wife Frances, and six of their seven children seated at a dining table. The girls are named Frances, Elizabeth and Margaret. Dated 1567.
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