Plus, scroll to see the top 50 girls and boys names in 2024
THE top baby names in England and Wales have just been announced – and the number one boy’s name is the same for a second year.
Muhammad is once again at the top, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In 2024, there were more than 5,721 males named Muhammad with this particular spelling, with Noah coming in second with 4,139 infants.
The other top five boys’ names were Oliver (3,492), Arthur (3,368) and Leo (3,324).
The top 10 also included George, Luca, Theodore, Oscar and Archie.
Meanwhile for girls, Olivia was once again the most popular with 2,761 babies being given the moniker.
Since 2016, Olivia has been the reigning champion and the number one baby girl name.
It hasn’t shaken its popularity for nearly two decades and has remained in the top three girls names every year since 2006.
Second place also hadn’t changed, with 2,448 babies being called Amelia.
This was followed by Lily (2,185), which was fourth last year, Isla (2,056), which dropped from third last year, and Ivy (1,956), which was previously seventh.
The top 10 also featured Florence, Freya, Poppy, Ava and Elsie.
The biggest jump in popularity in the top 25 was May, which rose 14 places, followed by Bonnie which increased by 10 spots.
Some parents prefer to give their kids more unusual names, and monikers used for baby boys less than five times in 2024 include Cuthbert, Crispin, Awesome, and Beckham.
For girls, these included Orchid, Poem, Sicily and Everest.
The rankings were compiled using the precise spellings of names as recorded at birth registration, so similar names with different spellings were counted separately.
Across the pond in America, the top name in 2024 for boys was Liam, and for girls was Olivia – marking six consecutive years as the most popular pair together.
MUHAMMAD POPULARITY
Although the Muhammad spelling is the most popular in England and Wales, there are said to be thirty-plus iterations.
Several well-known athletes, including as Mohamed Salah, Mo Farah, and Muhammad Ali, have variations of the name.
Mohammed, a different spelling, entered the top 100 boys’ names for England and Wales 100 years ago, and was 91st in 1924.
It ranked 21st in the list, with 1,760 babies, rising seven places since 2023.
Meanwhile, Mohammad joined in the early 1980s.
Muhammad, the most common spelling of the trio, broke into the top 100 in the mid-1980s and has experienced the fastest growth of all three since.
The name hails from the Arabic word “hamad” meaning “to praise” and is shared with the founder of Islam, the prophet Muhammad.
ROYAL NAMES
Thousands of children are given royal baby names every year, which have long been praised as potent baby names.
However, in 2024 George dropped down from fourth to sixth in the rankings.
Louie (different spelling to Prince Louis) rose eight places to 28th, just behind William in 27th, but Louis was 47th.
Charlotte remained in 23rd spot, with Meghan and Catherine not featuring in the top 100.
