It’s on the house! Most popular home names in Britain revealed

House name homeowners 

Admiral’s data also reveals which age groups are most likely to live in a home with a name.  27% of the properties with names that Admiral insures are occupied by someone aged between 56 and 65 years old. Overall, 74% of named homes belong to homeowners aged over 46, compared to just 12% of people aged 35 and under.  

 Some of the more unusual names around the country include ‘Cobwebs’, ‘Pippins’, ‘Hunters Moon’, ‘Toad Hall’, ‘Badger’s Holt’, ‘Woodpeckers’ and ‘The West Wing’, all of which are the name of several properties in the UK. 

Dr Lynn Robson, a Fellow in English Literature at Oxford University, offers expert opinion on the most popular home names, and considers the connotations of the more unusual names: 

“The most popular house names seem to reflect a nostalgia for a rural past: ‘The Cottage’, ‘Rose Cottage’, ‘Orchard House’, ‘The Barn’ and ‘The Granary’. The desire to seem rural - with the names ‘Hillcrest’ and ‘Meadow View’ - is interesting, but may exactly describe where they are situated or what the residents can see! A holt is a small wood, and I do hope that the people living in ‘Badger's Holt’ see badgers, and that those living in ‘Woodpeckers’ see the birds. 

“Many of these names may also reflect the original function of the building, like stables, lodge and school. Do they have something to say about the conversion of functional buildings into homes? There are also references to large estates in the use of lodge, stable and coach house.  

“I'm a huge fan of ‘The West Wing’ and would wonder what I might find inside that house. A benevolent president? 24/7 activity? Interesting conversations in corridors? A situation room, perhaps? Alternatively, it begs the question: who lives in the East Wing? A very British joke - making fun of the 'landed gentry', or the idea of a country estate.  

“The unusual ones are great and make me wonder whether - and how often - house names are changed. Would you buy 'Cobwebs' if you're afraid of spiders?  

“Some of them seem to be expressions of personal taste: fans of Wind in the Willows and Hunter's Moon, perhaps expressing ideas of escape into a fantasy world. Pippin Took is a character in Lord of the Rings, but a Pippin is also a type of apple, so is this another version of ‘Orchard Cottage’?  

“I wonder whether the name defines the place and so can stay with the house – ‘Laundry Cottage’, for example - or whether it is about the tastes of people who live there and travels to another house when the residents move on. I love the desire to personalise a house, to make it a home.” 

Noel Summerfield, Head of Home at Admiral said: “Giving your home a name lets you express your individuality. Whether it’s a name that describes the history of your home like ‘School House’, where it’s located such as ‘Meadow View’ or a poetic name like ‘Sunnyside’, naming your home can give it added personality.  

“Our research shows that some of the most popular names are also the simplest, however many homeowners have chosen the same names that are a little more unusual like ‘Cobwebs’, ‘Toad Hall’ and ‘Hunters Moon’. 

“Regardless of whether homes have a name or number, it’s essential to have the right insurance in place to make sure your property and possessions are well protected. People who own their home should have buildings and contents insurance, while renters should have contents insurance in place to avoid costly expenses. 

“Homeowners who wish to personalise their property by adding a name should contact their local authority to check if they will need approval first and notify your home insurer if you do make any changes.” 

To find the right home insurance policy for you visit Admiral online at: https://www.admiral.com/magazine/guides/home/big-guide-to-home-insurance 

If you’re unsure about how much contents insurance you need, check out Admiral’s handy guide.