Muhammad emerged as the most popular name for baby boys in Britain in 2023, overtaking Noah, which dropped to second place, according to official data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday.
The name Muhammad has consistently ranked among the top 10 since 2016 and climbed from the second spot in 2022. Oliver secured the third position, replacing George.
For baby girls, Olivia, Amelia, and Isla remained the top three most popular names, unchanged from the previous year.
The ONS highlighted the influence of celebrity culture on baby name trends. Names like Reign and Saint, inspired by the Kardashian-Jenner family, as well as Billie, associated with pop artist Billie Eilish, saw a rise in popularity. Meanwhile, names linked to British royalty, such as Charles, George, and Harry, are becoming less common.
