Move over Harry – here come Jamie and Sophie

Wednesday 17th January 2007, 12:00AM GMT.

HARRY Potter may have been the inspiration for a sharp rise in the number of Harrys born last year, but a rather older book is proving more of an influence on parents.

During 2006 new mums and dads opted for biblical names in huge numbers, with James, Daniel, Samuel, Thomas and Joshua all proving very popular. Traditional names also featured prominently in the top ten for girls, with Isabelle, Ella, Ruby, Grace, Sophie, Olivia and Emily all favoured by many parents. Others decided to buck the trend. Four Skyes were registered and so was a Summer, while, with sea levels on the rise, six families chose to call their sons Noah. Willoughby was the choice of two sets of parents, and another little boy shares the name of ‘Your Country Needs You’ Lord Kitchener.

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