As the range of consumer choices has expanded over the past 30 years, so has the range of names parents choose for their children.
Name Diversity
According to data from Republic of Slovenia Statistical office in 1999 there were 187 different female and 190 different male newborn names. By 2024, these numbers had grown to 259 for girls and 283 for boys. This represents an increase of almost 40% in the pool of girls’ names and nearly 50% for boys.
Unique Names
If we define a unique name as one given to ten or fewer newborns in a year, the rise becomes even clearer. In 1999, 492 baby boys, or 6% of all newborn boys, had unique names. By 2024, this number had grown to 852, or 12%. The pattern is the same for girls: in 1999, 477 baby girls, 6% of the total, had unique names; in 2024, the figure rose to 763, also 12%.
And yes, unique names are not only Harun, Kaan, Ajnur, Roel, Tajra, Ajlin, Najla, and Nisa. They also include Andraž, Miloš, Pavle, Emil, Diana, Tea, Daša, and Helena, names that were far more common in the past.
