‘Muhammad’ is the most popular boys' name in UK, 'Olivia' top choice for girls
Muhammad became the most popular baby boy name in England and Wales in 2023, surpassing Noah. Olivia remains the top choice for girls, followed by Amelia and Isla, while pop culture and celebrities continue to influence naming trends.
FollowThe name Muhammad became the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, surpassing Noah, the previous favorite with over 4,600 registrations, UK broadcaster BBC said in a report. Since 2016, Muhammad has continuously been among the top 10 names for boys, according to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS). “Noah” came second for baby boys' names in 2023, with “Oliver” third. There were 4,661 boys called “Muhammad” born in 2023, up from 4,177 in 2022, compared to 4,382 boys given the name “Noah” in 2023.
Name spelling variations are tracked by the ONS as distinct entries. In the instance of Muhammad, variants like Mohammed and Mohammad were equally well-liked and included in England and Wales' top 100 lists. In England and Wales, Olivia remains the most popular option for infant girls, closely followed by Amelia and Isla. Since 2022, these three names have remained at the top.
While Jax, Enzo, and Bodhi joined the top 100 for boys, Lilah, Raya, and Hazel are new names making their debut in the top 100 list for females. The ONS report highlighted that pop culture continues to influence naming trends, with names inspired by celebrities like Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey and members of the Kardashian-Jenner family, including their children Reign and Saint.
Film stars such as Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy have also influenced name choices.
According to the ONS, the names of musicians including Miley, Rihanna, Kendrick, and Elton became more well-known in 2023. According to the broadcaster's analysis, their high-profile performances, tours, and album releases may have had an impact on this.
Seasonal names also increased in 2023, with Autumn at 96th and Summer at 86th, up 10 positions from 2022 but still 38 places below in 2013. Days of the week also inspired baby names, such as Sunday and Wednesday. According to the broadcaster, royal names continued a recent trend of declining popularity in 2023. In recent years, names including Elizabeth and Charles, George, Archie, Harry, and Charlotte have all lost popularity.
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