The recent report “The Population of Barcelona” published by the Barcelona City Council reveals fascinating data on the demographic evolution of the Catalan capital in 2023. Among the information highlighted are the most popular names of newborns and demographic trends that reflect significant changes in Barcelona’s population.
The report reveals that just over 11,000 births were registered in Barcelona in 2023, the lowest figure since 1900, excluding 1939 due to the consequences of the Civil War.
The birth rate, which measures births registered per thousand inhabitants, also reached historic lows, standing at 6.6 per thousand. This decline in the birth rate is not exclusive to Barcelona, but is also observed in other cities in Spain and Europe.
The continuing decline in the birth rate poses significant challenges for the city, including a potential aging population and a reduction in the future working population. This phenomenon can affect various socioeconomic aspects, from the labor market to the sustainability of social security systems.
Most popular names for newborns
In 2023, the most chosen names for girls in Barcelona were Olivia, Sofia, Julia, Lucia, Martina, Emma, Gala, Ona, Mia and Chloe. For boys, the most popular names were Mateo, Liam, Lucas, Leo, Pol, Martí, Max, Bruno, Marc and Biel. These names have maintained consistent popularity in recent years, with slight variations in their order of preference.
The choice of names in Barcelona reflects both global influences and local traditions. Names like Olivia and Sofia are popular worldwide, while names like Pol and Martí have Catalan roots.
This combination of global and local shows how Barcelona remains a cosmopolitan city.
Mortality and increase in the centenarian population
In contrast to the low birth rate, the number of deaths in 2023 was 14,700, the lowest figure since 2019. In addition, Barcelona reached an all-time record in the number of centenarians, with 1,007 residents aged 100 years or more, of whom 843 are women and 164 men. Among them, Maria Branyas, the world’s longest-lived person at 117 years of age, stands out.
The increase in longevity is a testament to improvements in medical care, living conditions and healthy habits. However, it also implies the need to adapt public policies and social services to serve an increasingly aging population.
Diversity in births
A notable aspect of the report is the increase in the proportion of newborns with foreign nationality, which in 2023 accounted for 29.9% of births, compared to 27.4% in 2022. This increase reflects the growing diversity of the Barcelona population. The main nationalities of babies born in Barcelona to foreign parents during 2023 were France (182), Colombia (229), Italy (341) and Pakistan (354 babies).
