Muhammad leads UK baby name rankings for third consecutive year

Muhammad has remained the most popular name for baby boys born in England and Wales, topping the rankings for the third consecutive year, the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed.

Nearly 6,000 boys were given the name in 2025, almost 2,000 more than the second-ranked name, Noah. The two names have occupied the top two positions since 2023, with the gap between them widening from 1,580 to almost 2,000 births this year.

Leo and Luca climbed to third and fourth place, respectively, overtaking Arthur, Oliver, and George.

The ONS also noted that alternative spellings of the name remain widely used. Mohammed ranked 20th, while Mohammad placed 55th, together accounting for an additional 2,600 baby boys. The agency records each spelling separately rather than combining them into a single entry.

Among girls, Olivia retained its position as the most popular name, followed by Lily, Amelia, Isla, and Florence.

Muhammad has ranked among the top 10 boys' names since 2016 and has remained in the top 100 since 1997. Earlier historical records show that three spellings of the name appeared in the top 100 in 1954, while the spelling Mohammed first entered the rankings in 1924, placing 91st.

The ONS said the different spellings reflect varying transliterations of the Arabic name. "Mohammed" is more commonly associated with the Middle East, while "Muhammad" is more prevalent among families of Pakistani origin, the largest Muslim community in Britain.

The ONS has also said that Muhammad's continued popularity reflects several factors, including the growth of Britain's Muslim population, which now numbers nearly four million people, or around 6% of the UK's population. The name remains especially popular among Muslim families seeking to preserve cultural and religious heritage, even as naming trends have become increasingly diverse overall.

By Vafa Guliyeva