It happened again. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed it: Muhammad is officially the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales. This isn't just a "technicality" anymore where you have to add up ten different spellings to make the point.
The specific spelling "Muhammad" alone has now held the number one spot for two consecutive years, according to the 2024 and 2025 reports. In the most recent full year of data, over 5,700 babies were given this exact name. That’s a massive 23% jump from the year before. It pushed past former heavyweights like Noah and Oliver.
People always freak out a bit when these stats drop. You see the headlines every few months. Some folks use it to push a "cultural takeover" narrative, while others shrug it off as a statistical quirk. Honestly, the reality is a mix of both deep religious tradition and some very interesting math that most people ignore.
Why the "Muhammad" dominance is actually a math thing
If you look at "traditional" British names, the variety is staggering. Parents who aren't Muslim are picking from a nearly infinite pool of names. One year everyone wants to name their kid Arlo because of a Pixar movie, and the next year it’s all about Albie or Teddy. Because the choices are so diluted across thousands of names, the "top" spot usually only requires a few thousand babies to win.
But for British Muslim families, it’s different. There’s a powerful, beautiful custom of naming the first-born son after the Prophet Muhammad. It’s an act of devotion. It’s about identity. Because so many families gravitate toward this one specific name (or its variations), it creates a huge concentration of data in one place.
Think of it like this:
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- Group A has 100 people and they choose from 50 different names. The "winner" might only have 3 votes.
- Group B has 20 people but 15 of them choose the same name.
Even though Group B is smaller, their "winner" has way more votes than Group A's winner. That is exactly what is happening in the UK. While the Muslim population in England and Wales has grown—now sitting at around 3.9 million people according to the 2021 Census—the reason the name hits #1 is primarily due to this concentration.
The ONS and the "Spelling Wars"
For years, the ONS was criticized for how they handled this. They treat every single spelling as a unique name. "Muhammad," "Mohammed," and "Mohammad" were all counted separately.
Skeptics used to say, "Well, if you combined Harry and Henry, they’d be #1!" But that’s not really a fair comparison. Harry and Henry are distinct names with different origins. Muhammad, Mohammed, and Mohammad are just different ways of transliterating the exact same Arabic name into the Latin alphabet.
If you actually combine all the variations—there are about 14 common ones—the name hasn't just been popular recently; it has effectively been the most popular name in Britain for over a decade. The "news" lately is simply that the single spelling "Muhammad" has become so dominant that it doesn't even need the help of the other spellings to take the crown.
Regional breakdowns show a divided map
It’s not #1 everywhere. If you go to Wales, Noah is still the king. In the South West of England, names like Arthur and George dominate the charts.
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Muhammad's victory is powered by major urban centers. It’s the top name in five out of the nine English regions:
- London
- West Midlands
- North West
- Yorkshire and the Humber
- East Midlands
In places like Birmingham or parts of East London, you’ll sometimes see three different variations of the name in the top ten list for that specific borough. It’s a reflection of where the community lives and breathes.
The "Mo" Effect: Why the name is sticking
You can't talk about this without mentioning the "cool factor" that has developed. It’s not just about ancient tradition anymore.
Icons like Mo Salah (Liverpool FC) and Sir Mo Farah have given the name a massive boost in the public eye. For a young kid growing up in Manchester or London, the name Muhammad isn't just a link to their grandfather; it's the name of the guy scoring world-class goals on Saturday afternoon.
Even the ONS has noted that "pop culture" influences names heavily. While girls' names are being influenced by the likes of Margot Robbie or Billie Eilish, boys' names are seeing a surge in Arabic-origin names like Yusuf (ranked 68th) and Yahya, which actually saw the biggest jump in popularity of any top 100 name recently.
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What about the girls?
Funny enough, the girls' list is much more stable. Olivia has been the queen of the charts for what feels like forever—about seven years straight. Amelia and Lily are always right there behind her.
We don't see a "Muhammad equivalent" for girls. While Maryam and Fatima are very popular and climbing (Maryam is currently around 57th), there isn't one single name that the entire community rallies behind in the same way. This suggests that the "Muhammad" phenomenon is uniquely tied to the specific cultural weight of naming a son after the Prophet.
The bigger picture: A changing Britain
Some people get really defensive about these stats. They see it as a sign that "Old England" is disappearing. But if you look at the history, the name "Mohammed" (that spelling) actually first entered the UK top 100 all the way back in 1924. That's over a hundred years ago.
This isn't a sudden "invasion." It’s a slow-burn story of a community that has been part of the British fabric for generations. The name’s rise mirrors the growth of the British Muslim population, which doubled between 2001 and 2021.
What’s truly interesting is how "British" the name has become. It’s now as much a part of the local landscape as a chippy or a rainy Tuesday. It’s a name that belongs to doctors, bus drivers, athletes, and now, more babies than any other name in the country.
Actionable insights for the curious
If you’re looking at these stats and wondering what they actually mean for the future, here are the takeaways:
- Don't ignore the variations: When looking at baby name data, always check if the source is combining spellings. The ONS doesn't, which can actually under-represent how popular certain names are.
- Watch the "Yahya" trend: If you're looking for the "next" big name, keep an eye on Yahya and Musa. They are climbing the ranks faster than the traditional staples.
- Context is king: A name being #1 doesn't mean it’s the majority. Only about 1% to 2% of all baby boys are named Muhammad. The "pool" of names is just so wide that a small percentage is all you need to win.
- Transliteration matters: The shift toward the "Muhammad" spelling over "Mohammed" reflects a move toward more accurate Arabic transliteration in the UK, often influenced by younger, more educationally focused parents.
The data for 2026 is expected to follow this same trajectory. Unless there is a massive shift in naming trends among the wider population—like a sudden obsession with a new royal baby name—Muhammad is likely to stay at the top for years to come.