The United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently revealed that "Muhammad" has become the most popular name in England and Wales among newborn baby boys.
The ONS declared in a new data report on Thursday that the name – most prominently associated with Islam’s founder and most prominent figure, the Prophet Muhammad – finally claimed the top spot in 2023 and onward.
"Muhammad has overtaken Noah as the top name for baby boys in England and Wales, followed by Noah and Oliver," the report stated.
It added, "Muhammad was the second most popular name in 2022 and has been in the top 10 most popular names for baby boys in England and Wales since 2016."
The data revealed that 4,661 baby boys were given the name in 2023, just beating out the 4,382 boys named Noah that year. Oliver was third, with 3,556 babies given the name, followed by George, Leo, and Arthur.
In 2022, Oliver reigned supreme, with 4,586 infant males receiving the name, while Muhammad was second, being the name of 4,177 baby boys. George was in third place this year, while Oliver was actually fourth.
The ONS report also provided a map revealing that Muhammad was the most popular name among baby boys around the Manchester and Liverpool areas.
A spokesperson for the office spoke to Middle East news outlet The National, noting that the popularity of the name is clearly due to religious significance and the increasing Muslim population in the two countries – which has more than doubled since 2001.
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As the outlet reported, ONS "has previously said the name's dominance was due to a number of factors, including the increasing size of the Muslim community, which rose from 1.5 million in 2001, to 2.7 million people in 2011 and to 3.9 million in 2021."
However, the spokesperson added that the increase in the name also "coincides with increasing diversity in names for baby boys generally," The National wrote. The office also mentioned that the name might be becoming more popular among the Muslim community itself, as many become more inclined to honor their heritage while living in a non-Muslim country.
According to census data among European countries compiled by Euronews in 2023, Muhammad – or other iterations of the name (in this case "Mohammed") – was ranked the fourth most common boy's name across the entire continent, with Lucas, Alexander, and Oliver in the top three spots respectively.
ONS also revealed the top baby girls’ names in England and Wales for 2023, which were Olivia, Amelia and Isla as the top three – the same rankings they were in 2022.
