Muhammad most popular name for babies born in England, Wales for second year running

Muhammad has been recognized as the most popular name for babies born in England and Wales for the second year in a row. (Getty Images)

• Prevalence of name, which means ‘praiseworthy’ in Arabic, up 23% in 2024 compared to year before
• Other Muslim names in top 100 include Yusuf, Musa, Ibrahim, Yahya, Layla, Maryam, Fatima

LONDON: Muhammad has been recognized as the most popular name for babies born in England and Wales for the second year in a row.

Meaning “praiseworthy” or “commendable” in Arabic, it is shared most notably with the founder of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad.

There are more than 30 variations in spelling of the name in English, with Mohammed having first become one of the top 100 most popular names in England and Wales in 1924.

Muhammad, which became a top 100 name in the mid-1980s, was given to more than 5,721 boys in 2024, up 23 percent from 2023, when it was also the most popular name, according to the UK’s Office for National Statistics.

Mohammed came in as the 21st most popular male name, while Mohammad was 53rd on the list.

Other popular Muslim names for boys in England and Wales in 2024 include Yusuf (ranked 69th), Musa (73rd), Ibrahim (76th) and Yahya (93rd).

Muslim names for girls in the top 100 include Layla (56th), Maryam (57th) and Fatima (76th).