Muhammad overtakes Noah as most popular boy's name
In 2023, Muhammad emerged as the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales, with over 4,600 boys given that name.
Since 2016, it has consistently ranked among the top 10 names for boys, but it has now surpassed the former favorite, Noah, as reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Nonetheless, there is some regional diversity, as the name Muhammad doesn't make the top 10 list in three areas of England.
Different variations of the name Mohammed, such as Mohammad, also appeared in the top 100 names for England and Wales. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) treats each spelling as a distinct name, and various forms of Muhammad have been favored in past years.
Olivia continues to be the top choice for baby girls, with Amelia and Isla taking the second and third spots. This ranking has stayed the same since 2022.
Hyphenated names for girls saw a significant increase in popularity last year, rising to over 19,140 names from about 12,330 the previous year.
Recently, the names Lilah, Raya, and Hazel have joined the top 100 list for girls, while for boys, Jax, Enzo, and Bodhi have cracked the top 100.
On Thursday, the Office for National Statistics stated that popular culture still has an impact on the names people choose. They pointed to figures like singers Billie Eilish and Lana Del Rey, as well as the children of the Kardashian-Jenner family, Reign and Saint, alongside movie stars Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy as examples.
In 2023, the names of other music artists like Miley, Rihanna, Kendrick, and Elton also gained popularity. This surge was probably linked to new album releases, concert tours, or prominent performances by Miley Cyrus, Kendrick Lamar, Elton John, and Rihanna, according to the ONS.
Parents have increasingly turned to days of the week for baby names, with names like Sunday and Wednesday becoming more popular last year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests a potential connection to the Netflix show "Wednesday," which premiered in late 2022.
When it comes to the seasons, Autumn is placed 96th while Summer holds the 86th spot—an improvement of 10 positions since 2022, yet still 38 positions below where it stood in 2013.
At the same time, traditional royal names saw a drop in popularity in 2023, continuing a trend that has been developing for some time.
In recent years, George, Archie, Harry, and Charlotte have seen a decline in their popularity, along with Elizabeth and Charles.
The list of the most popular baby names for 2022 was made available last May, following updates to the resources used for compiling it.
The specific release dates for the most anticipated titles of 2024 haven't been established yet.
