The names Otis and Maeve soar in popularity thanks to Sex Education

19 October 2021, 18:09

Sex Education officially renewed for season 4 on Netflix

By Jazmin Duribe

Jean Milburn did it first!!!

The names Otis and Maeve have soared in popularity on the official baby names list and it's all thanks to Sex Education's favourite couple.

Sex Education has been an instant hit since landing on Netflix back in 2019. Throughout the three seasons, viewers have become particularly obsessed with the love story between Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey).

The two characters become friends after setting up an underground school sex clinic together and it soon becomes clear that they have romantic feelings for each other. But after a brief falling out, it seemed it was all over for our favourite Moordale students. That was until season 3, when we finally saw Otis and Maeve confess their love for each other (we'll have to wait until Sex Education season 4 to see if they actually become an official couple.)

READ MORE: Do Otis and Maeve get together in Sex Education season 3? Cliffhanger ending explained

Well, it seems some people have become so obsessed with Otis and Maeve that they're actually naming their children after them. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), both names have become the most popular names given to children born in 2020. In the top 100 boys names list, Otis has risen 28 places to 98th. Meanwhile, Maeve has risen 124 places since 2019 to clinch the 94th spot in the rankings.

"Popular culture continues to provide inspiration for baby names, whether it’s characters in our favourite show or trending celebrities. Maeve and Otis, characters from the popular programme Sex Education, have seen a surge in popularity in 2020," Sian Bradford, vital statistics outputs branch at the ONS, said in a statement.

Other names that have increased in popularity include Margot thanks to Australian actress Margot Robbie, while the name Olivia has been the most popular girls' name in the UK for five years now.

Place your bets now, we're bound to see the name Love (thanks to the You character of the same name) on next year's list…

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