Muhammad has overtaken Noah as the top name for baby boys in England and Wales in 2023.
New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that more than 4,600 boys were registered with the name Muhammad last year.
In the 2023 rankings released on Thursday, Noah came in second while Oliver was third.
Muhammad, an Arabic name that means ‘praiseworthy,’ was the second most popular name in 2022. It has been in the top 10 most popular names for baby boys in England and Wales since 2016. The name, however, witnessed an increase in numbers, going up from 4,177 to 4,661 in 2023.
According to the ONS, the name remains dominant among Muslims, but its rise coincides with increasing diversity in names for baby boys generally.
“It could also be becoming more popular among Muslims living in the UK to remind them of their heritage growing up in a non-Muslim country,” it added.
Noah, which previously held the top spot, followed closely behind with a drop from 4,586 in 2022 to 4,382 in 2023.
The other most popular boy names in England are Oliver, George, Leo, Arthur, Luca, Theodore, Oscar, and Henry.
The three most popular baby names for girls in 2023 were Olivia, Amelia and Isla, remaining unchanged since 2022. Olivia has been the top-ranked name for girls since 2016 and has been in the top three every year since 2006.
