Victoria

Most names hint at a quality. Victoria simply announces the result. It comes from Latin and means victory: no extra time, no penalties, no recount. Naming a baby Victoria is a bit like handing her the medal before the race has started, which is either wonderfully confident or slightly cheeky, depending on your outlook.

Crowns, catwalks and a very long reign

History has given the name enormous weight. Victoria was Queen of the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901, which is a lot of state occasions for one name to stand up to. It still has a royal future, too: Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, is heir apparent to the Swedish throne and the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf. And then there's Victoria Beckham, the English businesswoman, fashion designer and singer, who gave it a thoroughly modern, glossy spin.

So the name comes with a ready-made range: palace balcony, boardroom, stage. Not a bad set of options to hand a newborn who currently can't hold her own head up. Whatever she ends up doing, the name will already have shown it can hold its own in a formal setting, which is more than can be said for most of us in a pair of wellies.

Where Victoria is winning now

These days the name does its best work a long way from any palace. It's #6 in Argentina (2024) and #6 in Mexico City (2023), a matching pair of top-ten finishes. Elsewhere it's a steady performer rather than a chart-topper: #34 in the United States (2020), #39 in both France and Canada, #42 in Catalonia, #122 in Brazil and #152 in England & Wales. Funny, that. Of all the places listed, the one that once had a queen called Victoria is where you're least likely to find one on a class register.

For sibling names, think Marc, Laia, Pol and Jordi: crisp, short and to the point, which leaves Victoria free to be the grand one in the family. Every household needs someone to bring a sense of occasion to the breakfast table, and with four syllables and a meaning like that, she's the obvious candidate.

One of its great strengths is flexibility. The full name is stately and a touch formal, perfect for wedding invitations and graduation certificates. Day to day, though, you've got options:

• Vicky, the cheerful classic
• Vivi, bright and a bit playful
• Vica, the less expected pick

It's a name that grows up alongside its owner: Vivi in the sandpit, Vicky at university, Victoria on the brass plate by the office door.

Of course, the irony of choosing a name is that you can agonise for months over one that literally means winning and still not feel you've won the argument at home. But if you want a name with history, polish and a built-in sense of triumph, Victoria takes some beating.