KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — Muhammad has once again topped the list of most popular baby names for boys in England and Wales, marking the second consecutive year it has claimed the top spot, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

More than 5,700 baby boys were given the specific spelling Muhammad in 2024 — a 23 per cent rise from the previous year — placing it ahead of Noah and Oliver, which remained in second and third place respectively, the Daily Mail reported.

Notably, this marks only the second time that a single spelling of Muhammad has ranked first, although when over 30 variations of the name are considered collectively, it has long dominated the charts for over a decade.

According to the report, for baby girls, Olivia retained its number one ranking for the third consecutive year, followed by Amelia and Lily, which replaced Isla in the top three.

Names inspired by royalty saw a continued decline. While George came in sixth and William 27th, Meghan dropped sharply—just 17 babies were given the name in 2024, an 83 per cent decrease from the previous year.

ONS analysts noted that May was the biggest climber among girls’ names, jumping 14 places into the top 25, while Rory and Elijah saw the largest year-on-year gains for boys.

The growing popularity of Muhammad has been linked to demographic shifts and cultural influences, including immigration and the prominence of Muslim sporting figures such as Mo Farah, Mohamed Salah, and Muhammad Ali.

In the United States, meanwhile, Liam and Olivia remained the most popular baby names for the sixth consecutive year, with Emma, Noah, and Amelia rounding out the top rankings.

The ONS also noted a broader diversification in naming trends, with names of Arabic, Norse, Italian, and Scottish-Spanish origin entering the top 20 in recent years — a sign of growing cultural exposure and global influence among parents, Daily Mail reported 

“Now that we’re familiar with more cross-cultural names, they feel modern, accessible, and stylish,” a spokeswoman from English language platform Preply was quoted as saying.

The report also touched on quirkier naming trends, with names like Awesome, Poem, and Everest given to fewer than five babies in 2024.