In 2023, Muhammad emerged as the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales, surpassing Noah for the first time. Over 4,600 baby boys were registered with the name, continuing a trend where it has been among the top 10 names since 2016. However, there is some regional variation, with Muhammad not appearing in the top 10 in three regions of England. Various spellings of the name, including Mohammed and Mohammad, also made the top 100 list.
For baby girls, Olivia remained the most popular name, followed by Amelia and Isla, which have held steady at the top since 2022. Hyphenated names saw a significant increase in popularity for girls, rising to more than 19,000, up from around 12,300 the previous year. New entries to the top 100 names for girls included Lilah, Raya, and Hazel, while boys’ names Jax, Enzo, and Bodhi made the list.
Pop culture continued to influence naming trends in 2023, with names inspired by celebrities such as Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, and the Kardashian-Jenner family gaining popularity. Names like Miley, Rihanna, Kendrick, and Elton also saw increases due to album releases and high-profile performances. Additionally, names inspired by the days of the week, such as Sunday and Wednesday, rose in popularity, with Wednesday possibly benefiting from the Netflix series released in late 2022. Meanwhile, traditional royal names like George, Archie, Harry, and Charlotte saw a decline, continuing a broader trend.
