These Are the Most Popular Sports Stars Parents Name Baby After

The top name for boys and girls? John and Christine.

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Updated February 19, 2021

Baseball bat on the ground surrounded by baseballs.

Image: Andriy Onufriyenko / Getty Images

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Curious about which baby names might offer the biggest chance of success as an athlete? A report from Myprotein Australia, a sports nutrition brand that delivers a range of products, including protein powder, vitamins and minerals, aims to find out.

The report looked at over 8,500 sports personalities from a wide range of sports to find the most popular names for the best sportsmen and women from the UK, US and Australia. It found that some of the top names for boys were held by iconic players, such as John McEnroe, the tennis pro, Michael Jordan, legendary basketball player and soccer star David Beckham. Meanwhile, top names for girls included the tennis Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova, fellow tennis star Anna Kournikova and Kim Brennan, two-time rowing World Champion.

Below, the top baby boy names and girls, according to the report, for sporting success.