Top baby names of 2023 in England and Wales: Muhammad overtakes Noah in a first, Olivia reigns supreme

The new entries reported to the top 100 list for baby girls were Lilah, Raya, and Hazel, while Jax, Enzo, and Bodhi made it into the top 100 for boys.

• By: Parenting Desk
• New Delhi | Updated: December 7, 2024 12:17 PM IST
2 min read

With names such as Sunday and Wednesday gaining prominence, days of the week have become an inspiration for young parents. (Source-Pexels)

Baby name trends for 2023 in England and Wales showed the powerful sway of pop culture and evolving preferences. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Muhammad became the most popular baby boy name, with 4,600 registrations, overtaking Noah for the first time since 2016. Variations like Mohammed and Mohammad also featured in the top 100, making the name’s popularity clear despite regional spelling differences. ONS considers each spelling variation a separate name, making different variations popular across years.

For baby girls, Olivia retained its top spot for the second consecutive year, followed by Amelia and Isla. Unlike boys’ names, the top choices for girls remained consistent with 2022. However, new entries such as Lilah, Raya, and Hazel joined the top 100 for girls, while Jax, Enzo, and Bodhi emerged as fresh favourites for boys.

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Royal names, traditionally staples in baby name rankings, also saw a decline (Source-Pexels)

ONS noted that the influence of pop culture was a prominent driver in name selection. Names inspired by celebrities and artists saw a surge in popularity, with parents choosing monikers like Billie (Eilish), Lana (Del Rey), Kendrick (Lamar), Miley (Cyrus), and Elton (John). The Kardashian-Jenner clan’s childrens’ names––like Reign and Saint––also left a mark, alongside film icons like Margot (Robbie) and Cillian (Murphy).

With names such as Sunday and Wednesday gaining prominence, days of the week have become an inspiration for young parents. Conversely, seasonal names like Autumn (ranked 96th) and Summer (86th) dropped in popularity, with Summer falling 38 places compared to 2013.

Royal names, traditionally staples in baby name rankings, also saw a decline. Names such as George, Elizabeth, Charles, Archie, Harry, and Charlotte lost their earlier prominence, suggesting a shift away from conventional regal influences toward modern cultural icons.