GIRLS
Millie - This is extremely popular here, sometimes combined with another name for example Millie-May or Millie-Rose. I'm not a fan but IMO it is a lot better than
Millicent or
MildredEvie - I prefer
EvePoppy - I like the flower, but I dislike the name because of the 'pop' sound in it. This is used more by the 'upper-class'
Libby - I definitely prefer this as a nn for
ElisabethRosie - I prefer
RoseDemi - Popular because of
Demi Moore, and a character on the popular soap Eastenders. I don't think people think of this as being a nn for
Demetria, because it is also a French word meaning 'half'
Tilly - I dislike it, I think people here like names ending in the 'ee' sound. I just wish they would use them as nicknames for more formal names :-)
BOYS
Lewis - Very popular, I dislike it
Alfie - I like
Alfie, it's cute and does age well IMO. Popular again because of a character on Eastenders. I would prefer
Alfred nn
Alfie though
Harvey - I agree, it is ugly. I can't really think of a reason for it being popular except that the 'model'
Jordan named her son this
Leo - I like it, this is
Tony Blair's youngest son's name
Archie -
Archie is fine, I do know an Archer nn
Archie though
Finlay - This is very popular, I dislike the 'fin' sound
Harley -
Harley is nms, but it's better than
HarveyFreddie - I like
Freddie a lot as a nn for
FrederickLuca - I prefer it to
Luke or
Lucas. Can't think of a reason for it's popularity
Ellis - I think it's ok
Zak - I would prefer this as a nn for
Zachary
I think British people prefer nicknames to full names because they don't really consider formal names to be as important. People may dislike
Charles but like
Charlie, so they would just use the name they like, without thinking about how well it 'ages', because a large percentage of this whole generation will have nickname-style names- so it won't seem unusual or strange then.