Muhammad Remains the Most Popular Baby Boy Name in England and Wales in 2024
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released its latest data on baby names in England and Wales, revealing that Muhammad has retained the top spot for baby boys for the second consecutive year.
According to the 2024 rankings, the top three names for boys saw no major changes:
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1st: Muhammad
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2nd: Noah
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3rd: Oliver
Muhammad overtook Noah in 2023 and continues to lead in 2024 with 5,721 registrations. It is important to note that variations such as Mohammed (ranked 21st with 1,760 registrations) and Mohammad (ranked 53rd with 986 registrations) are counted separately by the ONS.
Top Girls’ Names: Olivia Continues Its Reign
For girls, Olivia maintained its long-standing position at number one, followed by:
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2nd: Amelia
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3rd: Lily (replacing Isla)
Olivia has consistently ranked in the top three since 2006, demonstrating its enduring popularity among parents.
Trends and Insights
The report also highlighted some key naming trends:
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Royal names have slightly declined in popularity:
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George (6th), William (27th), Louis (47th), and Charlotte (23rd)
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Hyphenated names are on the rise, increasing by 6,810 from 2022 to a total of 19,140 in 2023.
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Unique and rare names (given to five or fewer children) included:
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Boys: Cuthbert, Crispin, Awesome, Beckham
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Girls: Orchid, Poem, Sicily, Everest
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New entries into the top 100:
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Girls: Lilah, Raya, Hazel
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Boys: Jax, Enzo, Bodhi
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The ONS also noted that pop culture continues to influence baby name choices, with names like Miley, Rihanna, Kendrick, and Elton gaining traction.
This annual data reflects evolving trends and the growing influence of culture, tradition, and media on baby name preferences across the UK.
