From the approachable Geordie twang to the instantly recognisable Edinburgh lilt, the UK is home to some of the most distinctive accents in the world.
Now, a survey ahead of Valentine’s Day has revealed the sexiest accents – as well as those that put people off the most.
Experts from language learning platform Babbel quizzed 2,000 singletons about the accents they find the most and least attractive.
And the results will come as good news to celebrities including Jamie Dornan, Niall Horan, and Saoirse–Monica Jackson.
The Northern Irish accent was found to be the UK’s sexiest accent, ahead of the Welsh and Edinburgh accents.
‘In a world that increasingly rewards sameness, accents remain one of the clearest markers of identity and difference,’ said Noël Wolf, Cultural and Linguistic Expert at Babbel.
‘This research confirms what many people sense instinctively – accent plays a powerful role in attraction, as we subconsciously associate traits like warmth, intelligence and confidence with the way someone speaks.
‘The rhythm and musicality of the Northern Irish accent, for example, can suggest humour, friendliness and sincerity – qualities people instinctively respond to when assessing romantic chemistry.’
The results will come as good news to celebrities including Jamie Dornan, Niall Horan, and Saoirse–Monica Jackson. The Northern Irish accent was found to be the UK’s sexiest accent, ahead of the Welsh and Edinburgh accents
For the survey, Babbel asked 2,000 single Brits to rank 12 British accents based on how sexy they think they are.
The Northern Irish accent tops the list, followed by the Welsh, Edinburgh, and Received Pronunciation accents.
However, the findings may raise alarm bells for stars including Cat Deeley, Alison Hammond, and Jack Grealish.
The Brummie accent was deemed the least sexy, ahead of the West Country, Cockney/Essex, and Scouse accents.
As part of the survey, Babbel also asked respondents about the European accents they find the most attractive.
Italian tops the list, ahead of British, Spanish, French and Dutch.
At the other end of the scale, the Romanian accent was deemed the least sexy, ahead of the Ukrainian, Polish, and German accents.
Babbel hopes the findings will highlight the ingrained biases many singletons have around accents.
The findings may raise alarm bells for stars including Cat Deeley, Alison Hammond, and Jack Grealish. The Brummie accent was deemed the least sexy, ahead of the West Country, Cockney/Essex, and Scouse accents
‘Snap judgements can shape who we pursue romantically and, just as importantly, how we present ourselves, with many people softening their own accent to fit perceived ideals,’ Ms Wolf explained.
‘Accent insecurity speaks to a deeply rooted hierarchy in how voices are judged in the UK.
‘Some accents have long been treated as more “acceptable” or prestigious, while others carry unfair assumptions around intelligence or class.
‘When people soften or adjust how they speak on dates, it’s usually not about changing who they are – it’s about avoiding being judged.
‘The research ultimately challenges us to rethink these ingrained biases and recognise accents not as barriers, but as authentic expressions of identity that enrich human connection.’
The survey comes shortly after a study revealed just how much your accent conveys about you.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge played recordings of men with various British accents to people from all over the UK.
The participants were asked to rate the voices according to 10 social traits including kindness, being friendly, honest and trustworthy.
They were also asked to rate how likely the voices were to have performed 10 different behaviours – including crimes, cheating, or driving dangerously.
The results will come as a relief for people from Cardiff, whose accents were ranked as the kindest and most friendly.
However, people from Liverpool will be saddened to learn that the Scouse accent was ranked as the most aggressive, and most likely to cheat on a romantic partner.
