Elham Asaad Buaras
For the second year running, Muhammad is the most popular baby boy’s name in England and Wales, with 5,721 newborns given the name in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Including alternative spellings—Mohammed (1,760) and Mohammad (986)—a total of 8,467 boys received a variation of the name, roughly one in every 33 male births. This marks the first time three Arabic spellings of the same name have appeared simultaneously in the top 100.
Muhammad ranked first in five of England’s nine regions but placed 57th in Wales. It overtook Noah (just over 4,000 registrations) and Oliver (over 3,000) to secure the top spot.
Arabic-origin boys’ names have steadily risen over decades. Mohamed first entered the top 100 in 1954, with Mohammed and Mohammad following. Muhammad itself debuted at 51st in 2004, reaching number one in 2023—its position for two consecutive years.
Other Islamic-origin names have also climbed significantly: Yusuf (286th → 68th), Ibrahim (234th → 77th), Musa (976th → 73rd), and Yahya (680th → 93rd), which saw the largest annual jump.
In total, eight Islamic-origin names now feature in the top 100 boys’ names. For girls, Maryam ranked 57th (752 registrations) and Fatima 77th (619), though no Islamic girl’s name reached the top 10. Meanwhile, traditional British names like John and David continue to decline, while newcomers such as Austin, Nathan, and Vinnie have entered the charts.
(Credit: Generated by AI/The Muslim News)
