Nigels are nearing extinction after no British babies were given the name last year
NIGELS are nearing extinction with not one born last year.
There were 18 Corbyns and 4,485 Jacobs, sharing Tory rising star Jacob Rees-Mogg’s name.
Its popularity dwarfed that of the PM, with just 19 tots called Theresa last year.
Fellow Tory Boris Johnson fared a little better, with 39 christened like him.
Nigel Farage’s Brexit campaign was last night blamed for his name’s demise.
James McGrory, of pro-EU Open Britain, said: “It seems he caused a backlash.
“It’s a sad day for the great Nigels in British history. I hope he has the courage to phone the likes of Mansell, Benn and Winterburn to offer apologies.”
Mr Farage said: “In years to come, when Brexit is seen as a huge success, the name may come back. Now it would be an unfair burden for any child.”
Nigel, an Irish name meaning champ, peaked as 23rd most used for boys in 1964. Its decline began a decade later and by 2015 there were just nine new ones.
Other stars keeping the name alive include football boss Clough, violinist Kennedy, actor Havers, former Chancellor Lawson and the dippy hippy from 1980s TV comedy The Young Ones.
Meanwhile, 6,623 newborn Olivers last year made it top choice for boys for a fourth year running, the Office for National Statistics said.
Pop’s Harry Styles saw his monicker in second, with Prince George’s at No3.
And Olivia, given to 5,017 infants, replaced Amelia as favourite for girls.
Actress Emily Blunt’s name was third and Isla Fisher’s fourth. England and Wales’s 696,271 registered newborns were given more than 64,000 names.
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