LONDON — Muhammad has become the most popular name for boys in England and Wales, overtaking Noah.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) do not group together the different spellings of Muhammad, meaning that all the various iterations of the name together have made it the most popular for many years.
Mohammed and Mohammad both appear in the top 100 names for boys born in England and Wales in 2023.
There were 4,661 children registered as Muhammad, increasing from 4,177 in 2022.
The name was popular in regions with higher Muslim populations, such as London, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and the North West.
Mohammed was the 28th most popular, with 1,601 newborns registered, while Mohammad was 68th, with 835.
Other Muslim boys’ names in the top 100 include Yusuf, Ibrahim, and Musa.
The third most popular boys’ name was Oliver, followed by George and Leo.
For girls, Olivia has remained the most popular name for eight years. Amelia and Isla have been second and third for two years in a row.
The top 100 girls’ names included Layla, Maryam, and Fatima, which are all favorites with Muslim families.
The ONS said popular culture remained a key influence for parents choosing names for their babies.
Increasing numbers were names after music stars Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey, and actors Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy.
Even the names of celebrity babies such as the offspring from the Kardashian-Jenner family, Reign and Saint, gained popularity.
AN, Dec 5, 2024