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REVEALED: Austria’s most popular baby names in 2022

Austria's most popular baby names in 2022 might surprise readers.

Published: 10 August 2022 13:22 CEST
REVEALED: Austria's most popular baby names in 2022
Marie and Paul are the most popular baby names in Austria, according to Statistics Austria. Photo by Cottonbro /Pexels.

It’s that time of the year again when Statistics Austria releases the country’s most popular names for newborn babies, with Marie (for girls) and Paul (for boys) revealed as the winners.

Marie has taken the top spot for the second year in a row, while Paul has snatched the top spot for the first time since 2018, according to the latest figures.

Emilia and Jakob followed in second place for girls and boys respectively.

READ ALSO: Could Austria change the rules around citizenship?

Tobias Thomas, Director General of Statistics Austria, said: “He [Paul] was the top climber, moving up four places from last year. Lea and David on the other hand, each slipped three places compared to the previous year.”

The name Marie was chosen 975 times in Austria in 2021, and Paul was chosen 810 times.

Marie first entered the top ten list of most popular girl’s names in Austria in 2009 and has been climbing steadily ever since. Whereas Paul has been in the top ten since 2012, claimed the top spot in 2018 and appeared in second place in 2017 and 2019.

READ MORE: IN NUMBERS: One in four Austrian residents now of foreign origin

Statistics Austria compiles the results by analysing registered baby names in their original form, without special characters.

Here’s the full top 10 list of the most popular baby names for girls and boys in Austria in 2021.

Girls

  1. Marie
  2. Emilia
  3. Anna
  4. Emma
  5. Lena
  6. Mia
  7. Laura
  8. Valentina
  9. Hannah
  10. Lea

Boys

  1. Paul
  2. Jakob
  3. Maximilian
  4. Elias
  5. David
  6. Felix
  7. Leon
  8. Tobias
  9. Jonas
  10. Noah

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LIVING IN AUSTRIA

Labour day: What to do on May 1st in Austria

The Day of Labour, or Tag der Arbeit, is a public holiday in Austria and a great opportunity to join a demonstration, a parade, or explore some of the other events taking place on this specific day. Here is what is going on and what will be closed.

Published: 30 April 2024 09:29 CEST
Labour day: What to do on May 1st in Austria

The Day of Labour is a nationwide public holiday which celebrates and highlights the history of labour struggles and protests.

The movement for workers’ rights traces back to the US in the 19th century when conditions for factory workers were very poor and dangerous to their health. The poor conditions motivated the workers to gather and start fighting for improvement. This movement spread worldwide and reached Austria in 1886.

Nowadays, the 1st of May stands as a symbol of workers’ solidarity and serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for fair labour practices and social justice. It honours the achievements of workers and the labour movement.

Group of female workers. Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash

What is happening in Austria on this day? 

In Austria, most people do not have to go to work or school as this is a bank holiday. In Vienna, just like in many other Austrian cities and towns, the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ) arranged Labour Day rallies to celebrate the occasion. In the capital, they gather at the town hall, Rathausplatz, to celebrate the day and promote their agenda for workers’ rights and social justice through speeches, presentations, and debates.

In most cities and towns, parades, demonstrations, and various events are being organised. In Salzburg, a parade under the motto “We walk together for peace” takes place, starting at 12 am at Residenzplatz, accompanied by music from live singers. In Graz, SPÖ arranged a parade starting from their pavilion at 08:45 am, and ending at the city’s main square, Hauptplatz. In Innsbruck, the SPÖ organises a celebration event at Rapoldipark starting at 11 am.

In general, May 1st offers a great variety of activities, no matter where in Austria you are. If you feel more like spending time in nature, a wide range of group outdoor activities are offered in different regions. For example, in Klagenfurt, you can participate in a family cycling event in the countryside. And if you are in Vorarlberg and in the mood for a market, you can visit the handicraft market, called “Wälder Markt”, with over 70 exhibitors presenting their handicrafts in the municipality of Hittisau in Vorarlberg, where you can also enjoy some snacks and drinks.

Maypole traditions

In addition, the maypole (Maibaum in German) is celebrated in different villages, which is one of the most important traditions happening on this day—though not connected to Labour Day but to the general start of the month of May (and the start of a nicer weather season).

The maypole celebration is a long-standing Austrian tradition where the locals of a village raise a maypole on the village square on May 1st as a symbol of fertility.

Maypole climbing, stealing the maypole, dancing around the pole, or maypole parades with brass bands are common traditions in most regions of Austria. The Maypole celebration is a very popular traditional event which strengthens the community spirit. 

 
 
 
 
 
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READ ALSO: Which days off will workers in Austria get in 2024?

What will be closed?

Since May 1st is a public holiday in Austria, banks, post offices, supermarkets, and general medical practices will be closed. Most pharmacies will also be closed, except for those functioning as emergency pharmacies, which are scheduled to remain open during the holidays. In Austria, around 220 pharmacies function as “Notdienstapotheken” or emergency pharmacies. Find them listed here. 

Hospital emergency departments will remain open if you need medical care. Additionally, each region offers a holiday on-call service (Wochenend—und Feiertagsbereitschaftsdienst) if you prefer not to go to the hospital. You can call 141 for medical services during holidays, such as a doctor’s visit or to obtain certain medications.

Public Transport

On May 1st, public transport operates all over Austria, although sometimes with a reduced timetable, similar to that on Sundays.

In Vienna, trams, metros, and buses run with slightly reduced timetables. For information on the timetable for different lines, click here.

Mainline train services often run with a near-normal timetable during May 1st. You can check out the timetable for ÖBB here.

READ NEXT: Eleven unmissable events in Austria in May 2024

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