VICTORIA — The name Benjamin is poised to become the most popular moniker for boys born in British Columbia in 2017.
The Ministry of Health says Benjamin has edged ahead of perennial contenders Liam and Lucas, while Logan and James are also in the running for B.C.'s top five names given to boys this year.
The list from the Vital Statistics Agency is based on preliminary numbers to Dec. 15.
The ministry says if the trends continue, Ethan and Oliver could be pushed from the top five for the first time in years.
The most popular names for girls in 2017 mirror the 2016 list with last year's winner Olivia well ahead of second-spot Emma, followed by Sophia, Charlotte and Ava.
The Health Ministry says final statistics on 2017 names will be published later next year.
There were 45,399 babies born in B.C. in 2016: 22,188 girls and 23,210 boys.
