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REVEALED: What are Zurich’s most popular baby names?

Zurich’s most popular baby names from 2021 have been revealed. A strong trend towards short names has emerged - and there’s barely an Urs or Ursula in sight.

Published: 19 May 2022 15:17 CEST
What baby names are most popular in Switzerland? Photo by Eric Froehling on Unsplash
What baby names are most popular in Switzerland? Photo by Eric Froehling on Unsplash

On Thursday, Zurich council published its list of most popular baby names in 2021. 

During 2021, 5,251 babies were born across the canton, which is Switzerland’s most populous. 

On top of the list for boys was Noah, with 27 of the boys born last year receiving the biblical name. 

The leader for the girls was a little more controversial, with two different names laying claim to the crown. 

While 28 of the girls born in Zurich last year were called Olivia, there were 44 girls born in total with a variation of Sophia/Sofia. 

REVEALED: The most popular baby name in each Swiss canton

Short names dominated both lists, with Emma, Anna, Ella and Mia ranking high for girls, alongside Leo, Louis and Theo for boys. 

Another trend is that diversity is on the slide in Zurich, with fewer names given than in previous years. 

Swiss tabloid Blick reports that while 15 years ago there were 62 different names for every 100 people, there were less than 50 (48 for girls and 47 for boys) in 2021. 

Middle names are also on the rise in Switzerland, with 57 percent having one in 2021 compared to 48 percent in the 1990s. 

How does this compare to Switzerland? 

Although the 2021 figures haven’t been released for Switzerland, those from 2020 showed Noah was popular across the country as the favourite boys name. 

Olivia however was not even in the top five for girls names in Switzerland, where Mia, Emma and Mila were the most popular. 

Much like pretty much everything in Switzerland, there are significant differences between linguistic regions. 

In total, there were 461 Mias born in Switzerland last year, followed by 407 Emmas and 350 Milas.

Switzerland saw 507 Noahs born last year, followed by 372 Liams and 359 Matteos.

Mia and Noah are the most popular names in German-speaking Switzerland as well as in the country as a whole, which is of course helped by the fact that around 60 percent of Switzerland speaks German.

French-speaking Switzerland, also known as Romandie, saw Gabriel and Emma top the charts in 2020.

Sofia claimed top prize in the Italian-speaking part of the country, while Leonardo was far and away the biggest winner among the boys.

The situation is slightly different among Switzerland’s foreigners, with many opting to stick with names popular in their home countries, rather than those in Switzerland. 

READ MORE: What are the most popular baby names among foreigners in Switzerland?

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ZURICH

Why does Zurich need airbags on the front of its trams?

Due to a recent spate of fatal accidents, authorities in Switzerland’s largest city are looking for ways to make tramway tracks more secure for pedestrians.

Published: 23 April 2024 12:40 CEST
Why does Zurich need airbags on the front of its trams?

Three fatal tram accidents occurred in Zurich in the span of five days in early March.

In one, a pedestrian fell between the tram and the platform at the Oerlikon Ost stop; the victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died the next morning.

Next, a cyclist collided with a tram in District 5, succumbing to his injuries the next day.

The same day, another pedestrian fell under a tram at Zurich’s main train station, dying at the scene of the accident.

Though all three events happened in quick succession, accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists colliding with public transport in Zurich are not a new phenomenon.

“In recent years, accidents involving personal injuries have increased steadily,” said city official Michele Romagnolo. “People are crushed by trams and die. We can’t stand idly by.”

What is being done to prevent this type of deaths in the future?

The Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ) and tram manufacturer Alstom are currently testing airbags that inflate when a tram hits a pedestrian.

This mechanism would be triggered by a sensor on the front of the driver’s cab, and is intended to reduce the impact and consequences of a collision between the trams and pedestrians or cyclists.

According to Heinz Schulthess, president of the tram drivers’ association, “in head-on accidents, people first hit their heads on the window and then fall to the ground. An airbag pushes a person away, largely preventing the impact and minimising the risk of death.”

During this test phase, engineers are also looking into ways to increase the speed of airbag deployment and develop a mechanism for quick folding, so that the tram can resume operation immediately after an incident.

When would this system be deployed?

The trial run is expected to be completed in summer of 2024.

“What happens next depends on the results,” the VBZ spokesperson Leo Herrmann said.

Are any other safety measures under consideration as well?

According to Schulthess, another way to increase tram safety would be to install red LED lights along the tracks on the ground.

They would serve to would warn people crossing the tram tracks while staring at their smartphones.

“The main cause of accidents are pedestrians crossing the street without paying attention,” he said.

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