Muhammad was most popular boys' baby name in Britain in 2023

LONDON: Muhammad was the most popular name given to baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, ousting Noah to take the top spot, official figures showed on Thursday.

Muhammad had been among the 10 most popular names since 2016 and had been in second place in 2022, according to the annual list produced by the Office for National Statistics.

Oliver replaced George as the third most popular.

For baby girls, the top three most popular names in 2023 - Olivia, Amelia and Isla - were unchanged from the previous year.

The ONS said that the world of celebrity appeared to have influenced the increased popularity of some names, citing babies named Reign and Saint after those from the Kardashian-Jenner family and a rise in those sharing the names of pop musicians such as Billie Eilish.

However, it said names shared with members of the royal family, such as Charles, George, and Harry, were becoming less popular.