Full Breakdown
Muhammad Remains England and Wales’ Most Popular Boys’ Name for a Third Year
7/10/2026, 2:15:55 PM
Core Finding
In 2025, the name Muhammad topped the Office for National Statistics (ONS) list of boys’ names in England and Wales for the third consecutive year. Approximately 6,000 newborns received the name, outpacing the second-place name Noah by nearly 2,000. The gap between the two names widened from the previous year’s 1,580. New entrants Leo and Luca moved into third and fourth place, overtaking traditional favourites Arthur, Oliver and George.
Statistical Overview
- Muhammad: ~6,000 registrations (2025)
- Noah: ~4,000 registrations (2025)
- Variant spellings: Mohammed (rank 20) and Mohammad (rank 55) together account for an additional 2,600 boys.
- The ONS records each spelling separately and does not aggregate totals.
- Olivia remained the most popular girls’ name, followed by Lily, Amelia, Isla and Florence.
- Muhammad has featured in the top 10 since 2016 and in the top 100 since 1997, first entering the list in 1954 (three spellings). The spelling Mohammed first appeared at 91st place in 1924.
Historical and Demographic Context
The ONS attributes the name’s dominance to the growth of Britain’s Muslim community, which numbers nearly 4 million people—about 6 percent of the UK population. Muslim migration to Britain began in the late 1800s, initially concentrated in port cities such as London, Cardiff and Liverpool, with early arrivals from Yemen and Egypt. Larger waves followed the 1948 British Nationality Act, which granted unrestricted entry to British subjects, expanding the Muslim-heritage population that now frequently selects Muhammad as a cultural marker.
Cultural Significance
The sustained popularity of Muhammad reflects broader diversification of baby-name trends, with many top-10 names—including Freya, Leo, Luca, Isabella and Noah—originating outside traditional British naming conventions. The name’s prominence underscores a desire among many Muslim families to preserve heritage while participating in a more varied naming landscape.
Verbatim Quote
"There were Muslim seamen in Britain in the 19th century and into the 20th, with little enclaves dotted around various coastal towns," — David Coleman, University of Oxford professor of migration demography.
