According to the latest Recorded Live Births (RLB) data from Statistics South Africa, parents in 2024 showed a clear preference for names that reflect joy, resilience, and cultural pride.
Lethabo, Lubanzi, and Nkazimulo topped the charts for boys, while Onalerona, Zanokuhle, and Melokuhle were the most popular for girls – names rich with meaning.
Lethabo means joy or happiness, while Lubanzi means wide or expansive, and Nkazimulo means glory or splendor.
Meaning carries greater weight
Among girls’ names, Onalerona means He (God) is with us, Zanokuhle means to come with or bring what is good, and Melokuhle – a unisex favourite – means stand for good or uphold what is beautiful.
Interestingly, names like Lethabo, Nkanyezi, and Lesedi were shown to be gender neutral, proving that meaning carries greater weight.
These choices aren’t just labels – they carry aspirations and values, expressed through names that speak to identity and hope for the future.
When it comes to second names, Junior was the most common for boys and Precious for girls – choices that often carry both personal and cultural meanings.
Behind the Names: Why Birth Registration Matters
According to the latest RLB data, 863 858 births were registered with the Department of Home Affairs in 2024.
Of these, 787 933 – or 91.2% – were for babies born that year, while 75 925 (8.8%) were late registrations from previous years.
This gap between current and late registrations reflects progress in ensuring that children are documented promptly.
Birth registration is more than a formality – it is a child’s first official recognition, opening the door to essential rights and services.
From education and healthcare to social welfare and protection, a legal identity is the foundation for inclusion.
Without it, children risk being left out of vital support systems, affecting their development and well-being.
Beyond individual rights, these records serve a national purpose: they provide the baseline for planning, resource allocation, and shaping policies that respond to citizens’ needs.
Timely registration
In 2024, 83.2% of all births were registered within the legally mandated 30-day period, reflecting an overall improvement in timely registration.
However, certain age groups – particularly young mothers aged 10-14 and older mothers aged 50- 54 -continue to show lower registration rates, with only 53.9% of young mothers and 50.5% of older mothers completing the process within the 30-day window.
These variations across age groups may be influenced by social, economic, and cultural factors.
This focus on timely registration forms part of a bigger picture revealed by the 2024 birth data, which not only tracks legal identity but also highlights broader trends relating to when and to whom babies are born.
Seasonality played a notable role, with March recording the highest number of births (71 423), followed closely by May (71 298) and April (70 972).
These patterns are important for understanding peak periods and planning maternal and newborn care.
Demographic shifts
Alongside timing, demographic shifts were evident: the median age of mothers rose to 28.3 years – the highest since 2005 – reflecting global trends of delayed childbirth linked to education, career aspirations, and access to family planning.
Mothers aged 20-34 remained the dominant group, accounting for nearly 70% of all births, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of births to teenage mothers aged 17 and under, followed by Limpopo, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng.
Together, these insights show how birth registration connects to wider dynamics of seasonality and maternal age, offering a comprehensive view of the factors shaping South Africa’s birth landscape in 2024.
Decline in births
South Africa is experiencing a steady decline in births.
The 2024 total of 787 933 births that occurred and were registered was down from 848 337 in 2023, marking a decrease of 60 404 birth occurrences.
This continued downward trend has been observed since 2021, with the overall number of births shrinking, reflecting demographic shifts and changing fertility patterns.
For more information, download the Recorded live births, 2024 report here.
