Olivia is top girl’s name in Nova Scotia, mirroring trend across Canada

HALIFAX — New figures suggest wherever you live in Canada, it’s increasingly likely you’ll meet several people named Olivia.

Nova Scotia announced Thursday that Olivia is the top girl’s baby name in the province for 2016, in keeping with a cross-country trend.

Ontario and Manitoba announced this week that Olivia was number one in those provinces too — for the fifth year in a row in Ontario — although Ontario’s numbers are from 2015.

The most recent figures put Olivia tops in Alberta as well, and a close second in B.C. to Emma.

Emma is top five in many provinces. In Nova Scotia, it is the fourth most popular girl’s name, behind Abigail and Ava, but ahead of Charlotte, Violet, Amelia and Sophie.

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William is far and away the most popular boy’s name in Nova Scotia, with its derivative Liam in fifth place. In most provinces, Liam tops the list, ahead of William.

Benjamin is the second-most popular boy’s name in Nova Scotia, followed by Oliver, Noah, Liam, Owen, Ethan, Hunter, Jacob, and Logan.

Ethan and Benjamin are top five in Manitoba, B.C., Alberta and Ontario as well, and while Noah is top three in several provinces, it doesn’t even crack the top 10 in B.C.

Oliver, meantime, is tops in B.C., but comes in seventh in Alberta and 15th in Ontario.

Nova Scotia notes in a press release it began formally registering births on Aug. 1, 1864: “The most popular girls’ name that year was Mary, and John was the most popular name for boys.”

The Canadian Press