LONDON - Muhammad was the most popular name given to baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, ousting Noah to take the top spot, official figures showed on Thursday.
The Arabic name, which means “praiseworthy” or “commendable”, had been among the 10 most popular names since 2016 and was in second place in 2022, according to the annual list produced by the Office for National Statistics.
There are many spellings for Muhammad but the Office counts them all separately. Had it combined them, the name would have topped the table before 2023.
Oliver replaced George as the third most popular name behind Muhammad and Noah.
For baby girls, the top three most popular names in 2023 — Olivia, Amelia and Isla — were unchanged from the previous year.
New entries to the top 100 list for girls include Lilah, Raya and Hazel, while Jax, Enzo and Bodhi made it into the top 100 for boys.
The ONS said the world of celebrity appeared to have influenced the increased popularity of some names, citing babies named Reign and Saint after those from the Kardashian-Jenner family, and a rise in those sharing the names of pop musicians such as Billie Eilish.
However, it said that royal names were less popular in 2023 — a decline that forms part of an ongoing trend.
George, Archie, Harry and Charlotte have all become less popular in recent years, as have Elizabeth and Charles.
