ALICE and James are this year's preferred baby names, according to the Herald's birth announcement columns.

James was a run-away winner, with 19 of the 107 boys announced having it as either their first or second name.

James has been the most popular name for a boy for four of the past five years, and the most popular middle name for all five.

Among the girls, Alice was both popular as a first and a second name, with nine children in all bearing it. This was followed by Jayne/Jane, Ellen and Elizabeth.

The full details of favourite names is in Friday's Craven Herald.