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LONDON (CHATNEWSTV) — Muhammad became the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, with more than 4,600 children registered under the name, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported Thursday.
The name, which has been in the top 10 since 2016, dethroned Noah as the previous favorite. Other spellings, including Mohammed and Mohammad, also ranked among the top 100. The ONS treats each spelling as distinct, noting that various versions of Muhammad have consistently been popular.
Despite its nationwide success, Muhammad did not make the top 10 in three regions of England, reflecting some regional variation.
For girls, Olivia retained its position as the most popular name, followed by Amelia and Isla, unchanged since 2022.
The ONS highlighted an increase in hyphenated names for girls, which surged to over 19,140 in 2023, up from around 12,330 the year prior. New entries to the top 100 for girls included Lilah, Raya, and Hazel, while Jax, Enzo, and Bodhi joined the boys’ list.
“Pop culture continues to influence baby name choices,” the ONS said, citing rising popularity in names like Billie, Rihanna, Kendrick, and Elton, likely tied to music and performances by artists such as Billie Eilish, Rihanna, and Elton John.
Television also appeared to leave its mark, with names like Wednesday gaining traction, a trend possibly linked to the Netflix series Wednesday. Seasonal names such as Summer and Autumn remained in the top 100, with Summer climbing 10 places since 2022.
Meanwhile, royal names continued their decline. Once highly favored, names like George, Archie, Harry, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Charles have seen waning popularity in recent years.
Data for 2024’s most popular baby names is expected to be published later next year, according to the ONS.
