Muhammad Tops Baby Boy Names in England, Wales for 2023, Overtaking Noah
By Muhammad Faruk Bayu, Gombe
Muhammad has emerged as the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, with over 4,600 babies registered under the name, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as reported by the BBC.
This marks a significant milestone, as the name has been in the top 10 since 2016 but has now overtaken Noah, the previous favorite.
Other spellings of the name, including Mohammed and Mohammad, also ranked within the top 100. The ONS treats these variations as distinct names, each contributing to the broader popularity of Muhammad over the years.
For girls, Olivia continues its reign as the most popular name, followed by Amelia and Isla, unchanged from 2022.
Hyphenated names have seen a surge, with over 19,140 instances recorded in 2023, up significantly from around 12,330 the previous year. (BBC)
