These are the most common baby names of the past 500 years

While Millicent and Merville have been named among the poshest baby names in Britain, and the modern offerings of Danger and Mhavryck are unlikely to catch on, there are some names that stand the test of time.

According to an extensive study of 34 million christening record and birth indexes by family history website Ancestry.co.uk, these are the most popular names in Britain over the past 500 years.

10 most popular female names

1. Mary

2. Elizabeth

3. Sarah

4. Margaret

5. Ann

6. Jane

7. Alice

8. Ellen

9. Annie

10. Florence

10 most popular male names

1. John

2. William

3. Thomas

4. George

5. James

6. Robert

7. Charles

8. Henry

9. Joseph

10. David

More: These are the baby names going out of fashion