In British society, first names are often a marker of class – representing where you come from, and often indicating where you’ll end up in life.
Often, a posh name is obvious – if you’re a Lord or Lady, there’s no hiding it – but, according to Tatler Magazine, it’s often not as predictable as you might think.
This week, the society bible revealed its guide to ‘upper-class baptising by-laws’ – reading as a definitive guide to the poshest naming trends around.
Some of the more obvious giveaways include sharing a name with a member of the royal family, while anything that sounds like a nickname does not quite make the cut.
But, in 2025, ‘nature-inspired’ names, being named after a location, or a name originating from Greek mythology may also be considered signs of being upper-class.
Even if you don’t necessarily conform to traditionally ‘posh markers’, like speaking in King’s English or attending Eton College, your name could signal that you come from money, whether it’s correct or not.
As Tatler advises: ‘The wrong name can mark your little cherub out as a social pariah from birth – while the right one can open the doors of private schools, grand houses and FTSE 100 companies offering internships for years to come.’
Here, we explore Tatler’s 2025 guide to ‘posh names’ – and reveal the aristocrats, celebrities and even royals who are following suit.
If your name is inspired by nature
Names inspired by nature are the current ‘it’ thing – especially when it comes to the children of aristocrats.
Nature-based names may include months of the year, natural phenomena, animals, plants, or references to the weather.
In May 2021, society beauty Lady Mary Charteris named her daughter Wilde Jessie Furze, welcoming her new baby with her rockstar husband, Robbie Furze.
Lady Mary has modelled for the likes of Tatler, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Love, and is now best known as a DJ and member of electronic rock band The Big Pink.
Vogue editor Tish Weinstock, who studied art history at Oxford University, has also appeared to take a leaf out of the nature names handbook.
In 2023, she revealed she’d welcomed her second child, Phoenix Fox Guinness – a sister to son Reuben Wolf.
Meanwhile, Poppy Delevingne welcomed her first baby earlier this year, naming her Kaia Moon.
Even former Prime Minister Boris and his wife Carrie Johnson have embraced the trend, revealing in May that they were smitten after welcoming their new daughter. Poppy Eliza Josephine Johnson.
Announcing the birth on Instagram, Mrs Johnson said, ‘I can’t believe how pretty and tiny you are. Feel so incredibly lucky. We are all totally smitten.
She added: ‘Not sure I’ve slept a minute since you were born as can’t stop looking at how completely lovely you are.’
‘Wilf, Romy and Frank are utterly delighted, particularly Romy who was desperate for a little sister. Bring on the matching dresses. A final gang member.’
If you’re worried about how much status a nature-inspired name would carry, you need not.
In fact, Princess Eugenie’s eldest son is called August, ‘Augie’ for short – showing it’s even accepted in royal circles.
Names inspired by Greek mythology
Names inspired by mythology are usually long and impressive – with the bonus that they demonstrate a sound education.
Princess Beatrice and Lady Kitty Spencer have both named their daughters Athena, the Greek goddess of Wisdom.
Beatrice named her daughter Athena Elizabeth Rose, continuing a royal tradition of using names of Greek origin – much like Beatrice’s late grandfather Prince Phillip – and her middle name is an obvious nod to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Athena was the Goddess of Wisdom and War. ‘She was revered for her strategic prowess, intelligence, and skill in warfare,’ Ancestry writes. ‘As the patron deity of Athens, Athena played a central role in shaping Greek society and mythological narratives.
‘The name itself is derived from the Greek word “athenaios”, meaning wise or intelligent, reflecting the virtues and qualities associated with the goddess.’
It adds: ‘The name Athena continues to evoke a sense of wisdom, strength, and courage.’
Other examples of Greek-inspired names in aristocratic circles include Iris Law [Greek goddess of the rainbow and messenger], Hector Guinness [the Trojan prince] and Olympia Campbell [Mount Olympus was home of the gods].
Naturally, the former Greek royal family unsurprisingly embody this best: there’s Princess Olympia of Greece, Odysseas-Kimon, Constantine-Alexios and Achileas-Andreas.
So, if your name is Persephone, Helios, Isolde, Atlas or Aurelia, it’s likely you’ve got some posh connections up your sleeve.
But it’s not just the Greeks with well-heeled credentials – names with Sanskrit or Latin origins are also deemed a sign of being upper or middle class.
If you’re named after a place
The concept of using place names as proper names has been used by aristocrats for centuries, even if they have no actual ties to the location in question.
‘Florence’ – referring, of course, to the Italian city famed for its Renaissance heritage – is one such example.
There’s Florence St George, née Brudenell-Bruce, a descendant of the 9th Earl of Cardigan, Princess Florence von Preussen and Florence van Cutsem, Prince Harry’s goddaughter.
Florence St George even dated the Duke of Sussex for two months in 2011 before going on to marry multi-millionaire Henry St George in July 2013.
Well-educated and from a close-knit family, Florence is the youngest of four children of Old Etonian wine merchant Andrew and his French wife Sophie.
She previously recalled the stress of her short time dating a royal, and told Stella Magazine: ‘A new story would appear almost every day in the press, my school friends were interrogated and there were photographers outside my front door.’
‘I take my hat off to those people who can cope with that lifestyle, but I knew I couldn’t.’
Back in 2020, Florence told the Times that she found dating Harry ‘terrifying.’
Meanwhile, India Rose James is a Soho heiress whose £329million fortune at the age of 21 made her richer than the Queen – and she was the youngest person ever to appear on The Sunday Times rich list.
India, the ‘Princess of Soho’, had a baby with a rockstar and was once known for her pink hair, partying ways and edgy fashion sense.
Her party-hard days even saw her be kicked out of £15,145-a-term St George’s School in Ascot.
However, she’s nonetheless proof that a posh name often comes with an extensive fortune behind it.
Princess Beatrice has already fit into the posh names category once with her daughter Athena.
But her other daughter, Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, also fits the bill, thanks to the geographical association with the Italian medieval city, Siena.
Names inspired by poetry, Shakespeare in particular
If you’re called Olivia, you may think your name is too popular to be considered posh.
In fact, the name has been consistently chosen as the most popular in England and Wales, even topping the Office for National Statistics’ baby names list for girls in 2024.
Last year, 2,761 baby girls were named Olivia, with Amelia and Lily taking second and third place, respectively.
But if you’re looking at Tatler’s guide, Olivia is considered a posh name as it’s a reference to the fictional character at the centre of William Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night.
Even casual research will see you stumble across hundreds of names of Shakespearean origin in society’s upper circle.
Olivia Henson became the Duchess of Westminster last year when she married Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster, who is worth a staggering £9.3billion.
While her marriage has brought her a new title and a share of her husband’s immense wealth, Olivia is no stranger to wealth or the aristocracy, having her own high society family ties.
According to the Telegraph, she descends from the Hoare banking family as well as the Marquesses of Bristol and the Dukes of Rutland. The outlet also said that her uncle is the Grand Master of Scottish Freemasons and her is father is stockbroker Rupert Henson.
Other Shakespearean examples include Beatrice Borromeo, 40, an aristocrat once crowned the ‘most stylish European royal’.
In Shakespeare, Beatrice is a leading character in Much Ado About Nothing, embarking on a battle of wits and words with Benedick, who becomes her eventual love interest.
Perhaps a surprise example is Romeo Beckham, son of footballer David and Spice Girl Victoria, who enters the list due to the Romeo and Juliet reference.
Embracing the trend earlier this year, Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, the daughter of King Charles’s cousin, revealed she had named her second child, a son, Auberon, or Albie for short.
Tatiana clarified that Auberon is her husband Alick’s family name, as his father is Auberon Alexander Bernard Dru.
In Shakespeare, the very similar Oberon is the king of the fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Traditional family names
If you share a name with a member of the royal family, more likely than not, you will be posh.
This means any Elizabeths, Charleses, Williams or Henrys can consider themselves well-to-do, and the same goes if you’re called George, Charlotte, Louis or Diana.
Even if the connections aren’t royal, it still counts if you’re named after one of your parents or even have their middle name.
Tatler states: ‘While some might call falling back on a family name somewhat (whisper it) dull, we call it perennially smart.’
Tatler previously revealed the poshest names of all time in 2017.
‘We bring you the definitive list of perennial Sloane favourites that have lasted generations,’ said Tatler at the time.
‘You’ve been crossing your legs very hard, but you can finally give birth because has published its eagerly anticipated list of the most aristocratic baby names of all time.’
There were some well-known names on the list, like Amanda, Harriet and Imogen for girls and David, Henry and Oliver for baby boys.
But more unusual choices for girls included Quintana or Yseult, while upper-class titles for boys include Unwin or Vere.
