Henry, prince of baby names

HENRY – the birth name of the Duke of Sussex – has risen to the top of The Daily Telegraph’s chart for baby boys’ names.

Henry rose from third place in our birth announcements in 2017 to share top place with Arthur in 2018, possibly on the strength of Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in May.

Margot, a lowly 12th in 2017, and Matilda are joint top of the girls’ list.

Royal names dominate the boys’ list. After Henry and Arthur come Edward, William and George. Girls’ names are seemingly not on royal message. There are no Meghans or Catherines in the top 30. There was a Queen Matilda on the English throne, but you have to go back almost 900 years.

More likely, Matildas are being named after Roald Dahl’s heroine. The success of Margot Robbie, the Australian actress, is one possible explanation behind the increase in Margots.

Susan Cole, who has been compiling the names list since 1969, said: “Henry now tops the list but Harry doesn’t even make the top ten. Surprisingly, Harry comes in at only 21st.”

The girls’ list contains some unusual entries, including Ottilie at joint third and Cosima just outside the top ten.

SIR – The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid (Commentary, December 31), states that preventing illegal immigration across the Channel to Britain is in many respects “outside our control”.

His apparent lack of determination to resolve this crisis is extremely worrying. The Government has been aware of the potential problem for several years, and has done little to prepare for the rise in the numbers trying to cross. Mr Javid needs to get a grip of the situation – and quickly. Neil Macdougall

Salisbury, Wiltshire

SIR – In 2006, it was stated that the immigration section of the Home Office was “not fit for purpose”.

What has changed since then? Staff should be sent to Australia to see how efficient border control works. Maurice Burbidge

Bexhill-on-sea, East Sussex

SIR – Mr Javid believes there is no easy answer to migrants arriving on our shores. Perhaps he should look at how long it takes to process a single application – apparently 12 months or more.

The migrant’s reason for coming should be established on day one, and a court hearing should be set on day two, with a publicly funded lawyer to represent the individual in question. This should result in admittance to Britain or expulsion on day three. Michael Staples

Seaford, East Sussex

SIR – Peter Higgins (Letters, December 31) rightly says that migrants should be returned to France under international law. They know that our country is a soft touch, and so will continue to arrive until it is realised that the perilous journey is not worth it. Nigel Williams

Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire

SIR – The recent numbers of people crossing the Channel do not represent a “crisis” for Britain. They are a symptom of the tragedies afflicting the homelands of the migrants, and the hostility those migrants have experienced as they have crossed Europe. Calls for them to be caught and returned to France, or to their homelands, do no credit to this nation.

Efforts should certainly be made to catch the criminals who are making money from the plight of these unfortunate people – but Britain has a proud history of taking in migrants, and we should continue to do so. Major David Riddick (retd) Cranbrook, Kent

SIR – Charles Moore (Comment, December 31) is right that Mr Javid’s early return from holiday was a mistake.

Though a situation demanding attention, the trickle of illegal Iranian migrants towards Kent is not disastrous, especially when compared with the vast numbers arriving from the rest of the world. For these, there is no foreseeable hope of providing adequate housing and infrastructure. Barry Bond

Leigh-on-sea, Essex