Muhammad replaces Noah as England’s top baby name
Muhammad has overtaken Noah as the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, according to new figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The name had previously ranked second in 2022 and fifth in 2021, showing a steady rise in popularity over recent years.
Muhammad has been among the top 10 boys’ names since 2016, marking a significant climb from its position as 20th most popular in 2012. Over 4,600 children were registered with the name Muhammad in 2023, cementing its position at the top of the annual rankings.
The name emerged as the most popular boys’ name in four out of nine regions in England, particularly across the North and Midlands, as well as London.
However, the name ranked only 63rd in Wales, where Noah, Oliver and Luca took the top three spots. In the remaining English regions, Noah claimed the top position in the East Midlands, East of England and the South East.
Oliver proved most popular in the North East, while Arthur took the crown in the South West. This regional variation shows distinct naming preferences across different parts of the country.
For girls’ names, Olivia maintained its dominance as the most popular choice for the eighth consecutive year. Olivia, Amelia and Isla held the top three spots for baby girls for the second year in a row.
The name Olivia proved particularly popular across England, ranking first in five out of nine regions, including the North East, North West, South East, South West and West Midlands.
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Amelia emerged as the top choice in the remaining four regions of central England. Olivia was also the most favoured girls’ name in Wales.
New entries to the top 100 list show parents increasingly opting for unique names in 2023. For girls, Hazel, Lilah, Autumn, Nevaeh and Raya joined the rankings for the first time. The seasonal name Autumn ranked 96th overall, while Hazel placed 91st and Lilah 95th.
For boys, newcomer Jax made an impressive debut at 87th position, while Enzo and Bodhi entered at 95th and 100th respectively.
Pop culture continued to influence naming choices, with the Kardashian-Jenner family inspiring names like Reign and Saint.
Following summer blockbuster films Barbie (starring Margot Robbie) and Oppenheimer (starring Cillian Murphy), in 2023, there were an additional 215 baby girls named Margot and 14 baby boys named Cillian, compared with 2022.
Seasonal trends also emerged, with names like Holly and Robyn proving more popular in December. The ONS data revealed a notable difference in naming patterns between boys and girls in 2023.
Parents chose from a significantly larger pool of names for girls, with 35,000 unique names and spellings recorded. In contrast, boys’ names showed less variety, with 29,560 unique options documented.