Muhammad has overtaken Noah as the top baby name for boys in the United Kingdom in 2023, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed.
Noah came in second with Oliver third. Muhammad was the second most popular boys’ name in 2022 and has been in the top 10 since 2016.
Olivia remained the most popular name for baby girls for the eighth year in a row, with Amelia and Isla the second and third most popular for girls.
Each year, the ONS analyses the latest baby name data, revealing the most popular – and unpopular – names in the UK.
In 2023 there were 4,661 Muhammads born across England and Wales, up from 4,177 in 2022.
In contrast, only 4,382 Noahs were born in 2023, down from 4,586 the previous year.
First time single spelling tops list
In previous years, combining all the different spellings of Muhammad would have made it the top name, but this is the first year that just one spelling of the name has topped the list.
This year, the next most common variant of the Arabic name – Mohammed – is also in the top 50, coming in at the 28th most popular name in 2023, down from 27th place the year before.
An analysis by The Telegraph found that two of the fastest-growing boys’ names in 2023 were Arabic in origin: Ayman, up 47 per cent, and Hasan, up 43 per cent. Among girls, Arabic names also saw significant growth, with Aizal and its variant Ayzal rising 479 per cent and 183 per cent, respectively. Inaya, meaning “care” or “protection” in Arabic, increased by 48 per cent.
But the boys’ name that underwent the biggest increase in popularity was Cassian.
The number of babies with this name, which is shared with a character in the romantic fiction series A Court of Thorns and Roses by American author Sarah J Mass, went up by 79 per cent in the past year.
The series became a viral sensation after gaining popularity on TikTok.
The ONS found some geographical variations. Olivia was the most popular girls’ name in five out of nine regions in England and the most popular in Wales, while Muhammad was the most popular boys’ name in four out of nine regions in England and was ranked 63rd in Wales.
Arabic in origin, the name Muhammad means “praiseworthy” or “commendable” from the Arabic verb “ḥammada”, meaning “to praise”.
The name – which is shared with the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam and the proclaimer of the Koran – is very common in regions with a strong Muslim presence, such as the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.
But Muhammad and its variants are growing in popularity across multicultural societies.
New entries to the top 100 baby names include Hazel, Lilah, Autumn, Nevaeh and Raya for girls, as well as Jax, Enzo and Bodhi for boys.
Source: The Telegraph
Yawn. Baby boy names are ONLY reported on when it’s a Arabic/Muslim name… clearly racism on the side of the white-as-a-blizzard editorial staff of all news and media outlets.
Muhamad is number one because the parents lack imagination, not because of “Oooh, invasion! Skar-eeee”
Consider this: if it indeed wás “open borders” then the GIRLS name list would’ve been dominated by Arabic names too, but it is not, why? Because the parents agree less on what’s the best name for a girl.