Pour Moi’s Naughty & Nice Names List 2024

Discussing names that are ‘attractive’ or which names to avoid in romantic relationships are fun (and frequent) conversations among friendship groups, with the likes of ‘Jack’ and ‘Josh’ frequently shared on TikTok as male names to avoid getting romantically involved with! 

Before you don your prettiest sexy lingerie and head out on date with someone new, the first thing you have to judge them on is their name. Naturally, the good and bad connotations of names come up in conversation even more as we approach Christmas when the big man starts writing his Naughty and Nice list.  

But which names deserve a place on the Naughty and List this Christmas? To discover the naughtiest and nicest names of them all, we surveyed over 2,000  participants asking which male and female names they felt positive or negative connotations towards. We ranked the results to create Pour Moi’s Naughty and Nice List 2024.

Our research shows that there are several names people remember for all the wrong reasons. Whilst this doesn't apply to everyone with these names, it's interesting that almost a quarter of adults have been wronged by a Callum or Megan in their life...

The Top 10 Naughty Male Names

24% of participants admitted they hold a negative view of ‘Callum,’ a name with a long-standing history and popularity in Scotland. However, famous faces like Callum Turner make up for this with his good-boy persona (and for dating Dua Lipa).

Following closely behind Callum is the name Kieran, taking second place on the ‘naughty’ list this season. It may be unsurprising to see Kieran feature so highly, given that the name literally means ‘little dark one’ in Irish, which definitely explains its edgy appeal.

In third place is Connor with 18% of respondents saying they have negative connotations with this Celtic name. With Irish and Scottish roots, the name has a couple of meanings; in Irish it means ‘lover of hounds’ and in Scottish it means  ‘wise’. Despite having a positive etymology,  it hasn’t earned a favourable reputation in the modern day. Interestingly, over 10% of respondents disliking ‘Connor’ are from Belfast, making it a true heartbreaker in Ireland!

Liam, Ryan and Jake all share fourth place, with 17% of adults having negative emotions towards these names. All four letter names, Liam and Ryan both have origins in Ireland,  whereas Jake has biblical roots (deriving from Jacob) which has slowly evolved into a typical bad boy name.

Jordan, William, Thomas and Adam round off the top 10 naughty names list for males in the study. Among the Jordans known for being hot-headed include England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who often makes the headlines for antics on the pitch, whilst the Williams of the world include future King of England, Prince William,  

The Top 10 Naughty Female Names

When it comes to the ‘naughtiest’ female names, Megan takes the crown, with a quarter (25%) of participants associating it with bad memories. First appearing in the 16th century, Megan is a Welsh name stemming from the name Margaret. In pop culture, many Megans are putting the name on the naughty map, including the protagonist M3GAN in the horror film with the same name, as well as Megan Thee Stallion known for starting rap beef with the likes of Nicki Minaj,

In second place is Shannon with 23% of respondents saying the name gives them bad vibes, Followed by Jade in third place, a popular name from the ‘70s. Both Katie and Molly share third place with 22% of participants giving these names a thumbs down.

Completing the top 10 are Paige, Lauren, Danielle, Chloe, and Jessica. 

It’s official - the ‘J’s are proving the nation wrong with James, Harry and Jack crowning Pour Moi’s Nice List 2024. One in five (20%) of people said they think positively of the name James,  Whilst for females, Elizabeth, Emma and Sophie dominate the top three nicest names.

The Top 10 Male Nice Names

James is taking the crown as the top spot for the nicest male names this Christmas. Dating all the way back to the 13th century, James is a classic name used across the globe and the nation’s favourite this year. Following closely behind is Harry, with 19% of participants charmed by this name – not only does the name have royal appeal but it’s also shared by famous figures like pop star Harry Styles and second-highest all-time goalscorer in the Premier League, Harry Kane.

Putting TikTok rumours to bed, the name ‘Jack’ is actually the third most loved name in the list, admired for its timeless appeal in nursery rhymes and fairy tales, it is a very popular male name this year. 

Two of the Hemsworth brother's names feature on the top 10 nice names list with Chris (16%) in fifth and Luke completing the top 10 list. 

The Top 10 Female Nice Names 

This Christmas, Elizabeth tops the nice list, with 20% of respondents giving it their vote. With abbreviations including Lizzy, Liz and Beth, it is a name shared by many beloved figures like the late Queen Elizabeth II, actress Elizabeth Hurley and even Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, known professionally as Lana Del Rey.

Joining Elizabeth in first position are Emma and Sophie; one in five (20%) people see green flags when it comes to these popular girl names. Emma has been in the top three most popular names since 2003 in the United States and the second most popular name in Canada for girls in 2022. Over 14% of respondents who love the name Sophie are from Edinburgh, whereas nearly 13% of those who are fans of Emily are from Brighton.

Rounding off our top 10, classic names like Kate, Charlotte, and Sarah continue to bring nothing but positive vibes, earning their place on the nice list this Christmas. 

A list of the most popular names was collated using ONS data from the years 2,001 to 2022 and a sample of 2001 nat reps were surveyed on how positive or negative they feel towards each name.

Data correct as of November 2024.