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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Most popular names for baby boys and girls in 2024 revealed
Muhammad was the most popular name for baby boys in England and Wales in 2024, figures show. It was the second year running that Muhammad topped the list, having been in the top 10 since 2016. Noah came in second, with Oliver in third, just as they did in 2023. Olivia and Amelia held the top two spots for baby girl names for the third year in a row, but Isla dropped out of the top three after being replaced by Lily. Olivia has been in the top three for girls' names every year since 2006, with 2,761 girls given the name in 2024. The rankings were created using the exact spellings of names given at birth registration, meaning similar names with different spellings were counted separately. The data, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), shows that three variant spellings of Muhammad made the list of the top 100 baby boys' names in England and Wales in 2024. Muhammad ranked first with 5,721 boys being given the name, while Mohammed came in 21st with 1,760 and Mohammad came 53rd with 986. Royal names continued to fall in popularity on the whole. George ranked sixth with 3,257 babies being given the name and William came in 27th. Louis came in 47th for boys and Charlotte ranked 23rd for girls. Names given to baby boys less than five times in 2024 include Cuthbert, Crispin, Awesome and Beckham. Names given to baby girls less than five times include Orchid, Poem, Sicily and Everest.
The Sun
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Top 100 baby names in England & Wales revealed – as Muhammad & Olivia keep the lead for second year in a row
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. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed Muhammad has once again taken the top spot. 1 Over 5,721 boys were called Muhammad, with this specific spelling in 2024, with the second place going to Noah with 4,139 babies. 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. Olivia is the long serving champion and has held the crown for the top-ranked baby girl name since 2016. 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 rankings were compiled using the precise spellings of names as recorded at birth registration, so similar names with different spellings were counted separately. MUHAMMAD POPULARITY Although the Muhammad spelling is the most popular in England and Wales, there are said to be thirty-plus iterations. There are a number of popular sporting icons with variations of the moniker, including Muhammad Ali, Mo Farah, and Mohamed Salah. 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. The top 50 boys names in England and Wales in 2024 1 - Muhammad - 5,721 2 - Noah - 4,139 3 - Oliver - 3,492 4 - Arthur - 3,368 5 - Leo - 3,324 6 - George - 3,257 7 - Luca - 2,814 8 - Theodore - 2,761 9 - Oscar - 2,747 10 - Archie - 2,575 11 - Jude - 2,540 12 - Theo - 2,387 13 - Freddie - 2,369 14 - Henry - 2,360 15 - Arlo - 2,220 16 - Alfie - 2,020 17 - Charlie - 1,956 18 - Finley - 1,886 19 - Albie - 1,820 20 - Harry - 1,765 21 - Mohammed - 1,760 22 - Jack - 1,711 23 - Elijah - 1,661 24 - Rory - 1,588 25 - Lucas - 1,550 26 - Thomas - 1,543 27 - William - 1,517 28 - Louie - 1,516 29 - Teddy - 1,506 30 - Jacob - 1,484 31 - Edward - 1,461 32 - Roman - 1,454 33 - Reuben - 1,442 34 - Oakley - 1,432 35 - Adam - 1,410 36 - Alexander - 1,365 37 - Isaac - 1,360 38 - Ezra - 1,339 39 - Tommy - 1,324 40 - James - 1,252 41 - Rowan - 1,246 42 - Hudson - 1,216 43 - Reggie - 1,194 44 - Max - 1,140 45 - Sebastian - 1,116 46 - Hugo - 1,094 47 - Louis - 1,092 48 - Ethan - 1,086 49 - Ronnie - 1,059 50 - Joshua - 1,027 The top 50 girls names in England and Wales in 2024 1 - Olivia - 2,761 2 - Amelia - 2,448 3 - Lily - 2,185 4 - Isla - 2,056 5 - Ivy - 1,956 6 - Florence - 1,936 7 - Freya - 1,929 8 - Poppy - 1,888 9 - Ava - 1,774 10 - Elsie - 1,727 11 - Isabella - 1,708 12 - Sofia - 1,626 13 - Sophia - 1,610 14 - Mia - 1,609 15 - Maya - 1,592 16 - Bonnie - 1,583 17 - Phoebe - 1,549 18 - Daisy - 1,548 19 - Sienna - 1,537 20 - Evelyn - 1,512 21 - Willow - 1,481 22 - Harper - 1,461 23 - Charlotte - 1,418 24 - Rosie - 1,406 25 - Grace - 1,390 26 - Maeve - 1,265 27 - Millie - 1,255 28 - Margot - 1,243 29 - Evie - 1,231 30 - Arabella - 1,222 31 - Matilda - 1,220 32 - Hallie - 1,218 33 - Delilah - 1,180 34 - Emily - 1,170 35 - Aria - 1,154 36 - Penelope - 1,133 37 - Mabel - 1,113 38 - Lottie - 1,109 39 - Ella - 1,108 40 - Ada - 1,049 41 - Ruby - 1,020 42 - Violet - 1,010 43 - Aurora - 1,002 44 - Maisie - 992 45 - Emilia - 961 46 - Mila - 953 47 - Ayla - 922 48 - Luna - 908 49 - Alice - 896 50 - Sophie - 886 ROYAL NAMES Historically, royal baby names have been hailed as powerful baby names, with thousands of youngsters being named after them each year. 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. Charlotte remained in 23rd spot, with Meghan and Catherine not featuring in the top 100. Unusual baby names 2024 Many parents are opting for meaningful names in 2024 with unisex names on the rise due to their unique element, it's hard to categorise them. With celebrities at the forefront of this growing trend, after Ed Sheeran named his latest addition Jupiter Seaborn, and Kylie Jenner who named her newborn Aire - it would seem having a unique, unisex name is more common than you think. Unusual baby names documented in 2024 include: Halo Aire Elio Royal Atticus Ori Starlette Snowdrop Kahlani Zyla Teddy Ezra Beau Otto
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The top baby names in England and Wales as Muhammad takes the number one spot for the second year in a row
The top baby names in England and Wales were revealed today, with Muhammad taking the top spot for the second year in a row. More than 5,721 boys were given the specific spelling of Muhammad in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), followed by 4,139 called Noah. The other top 10 baby names were Oliver, Arthur, Leo, George, Luca, Theodore, Oscar and Archie. Olivia retained the top spot on the list of girl's names, followed by Olivia and Isla. It marks the second time just one spelling of the Islamic name has topped the charts, although when all thirty-plus iterations are grouped together it has been the most common for over a decade, MailOnline analysis suggests. Each year the ONS analyses the latest baby name data, uncovering trends in how certain names have fallen out of favour or soared in popularity. Mohammed, a different spelling, entered the top 100 boys' names for England and Wales 100 years ago, debuting at 91st in 1924. Its prevalence dropped considerably in the lead up to and during WW2 but began to rise in the 1960s. That particular iteration of the name was the only one to appear in the ONS' top 100 data from 1924 until Mohammad joined in the early 1980s. Muhammad, now the most popular of the trio, first broke into the top 100 in the mid-1980s and has seen the fastest growth of all three iterations since. The name means 'praiseworthy' or 'commendable' and stems from the Arabic word 'hamad' meaning 'to praise' and is shared with the founder of Islam, the prophet Muhammad. Increasing sizes of Muslim communities across the UK fuelled by immigration, as well as the popularity of sporting figures such as Mo Farah, Mohamed Salah and Muhammad Ali are likely to have sparked the increase. The ONS only provides statistics based on the exact spelling and do not group names, as some groupings are subjective and not straightforward.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Nigel Farage blasts 'disastrous' immigration levels as soaring UK population sees second biggest rise since 1949
Immigration fuelled the second largest annual population increase in England and Wales since the Second World War last year, official figures showed. The population is estimated to have grown by more than 700,000 people in the year to June 2024, the second largest annual increase since records began in 1949. It was eclipsed only by the 821,210 population increase in the 12 months to mid-2023, with growth in both years driven almost entirely by record rises in the number of migrants flocking to Britain. Net international migration - the difference between people moving to the country and leaving - accounted for 98 per cent of the estimated population increase of 706,881 people. There were an estimated 61.8 million people in England and Wales in mid-2024, up from 61.1 million in mid-2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Some 1,142,303 people were estimated to have come to England and Wales as immigrants in the 12 months to June 2024 while 452,156 were likely to have emigrated, the figures showed. Politicians warned the huge population growth fuelled by migration was unsustainable and would place unsustainable pressure on housing and public services. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: 'These figures are disastrous for the quality of life for everyone in the country. It puts impossible pressures on public services and further divides our communities.' Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice described the figures as 'deeply concerning' as they 'have serious implications for the housing crisis, crime rates, and quality of life across Britain'. 'The UK cannot benefit from, or cope with such high levels of unvetted, low skilled immigration,' he said. 'We need economic policies that support British families, encourage higher birth rates, and ensure that the interests of the British public come first.' The ONS stats also showed there was a decrease in the number of births and deaths in the year to mid-2024, compared with the previous year. There were slightly more births (596,012) than deaths (566,030) in the year to mid-2024, which added just 29,982 to the population. The highest rates of population growth were in the City of London (11.1 per cent), Oadby and Wigston (3.1 per cent), and Preston (2.9 per cent). And the greatest rates of population decrease were Isles of Scilly (-2.8 per cent), Kensington and Chelsea (-1.4 per cent) and Lambeth (-0.6 per cent). Nigel Henretty of the ONS said: 'The population of England and Wales has increased each year since mid-1982. 'The rate of population increase has been higher in recent years and the rise seen in the year to mid-2024 represents the second largest annual increase in numerical terms in over 75 years. 'Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century.' Net international migration was positive in every local authority in England and Wales except South Holland, Lincolnshire. Without net migration, the population of a third of all local authorities would have fallen, the figures show. Birmingham the largest net international migration. It added 24,235 to its population with a total of 39,000 coming to the city from overseas between mid-2023 and mid-2024 while 14,000 left. Newham, London, saw the largest amount of international migration as a percentage of its existing population, at 4.7 per cent. Earlier this year, the total UK population exceeded that of France for the first time on record after it rose to 68.3 million in mid-2023. The ONS has predicted the UK population will grow to 73.7 million by mid-2036 and hit the 70 million mark a decade earlier than previously thought. Those projections assume that net migration will fall over the next few years from a peak of about 670,000 in the 12 months to June 2023, before settling at 315,000 a year from 2028 onwards. Tory shadow Home Office minister Katie Lam said the ONS data showed the population is rising at 'an unsustainable pace', which is 'almost entirely driven by record levels of immigration'. 'This isn't about numbers on a spreadsheet, it's about pressure on housing, NHS waiting lists, school places, wages and it's about community and our culture,' she said. 'Britain simply cannot plan or build fast enough to keep up.' She added: 'We must secure our borders and deliver a fair and sustainable immigration system that works for the British people.' However Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the figures 'confirm the truth of the Tory legacy on immigration'. She added: 'Their failed open borders experiment resulted in net migration quadrupling to a peak of almost a million per year in 2023 even as they promised it would fall. 'Since the election, net migration has come steeply down, and as part of the Government's Plan for Change we have set out new measures in the Immigration White Paper and have already changed immigration rules to bring net migration down further. 'To be successful, effective and fair, our immigration system must be properly controlled and managed. Out of the chaos and failure of the Tory past, that is what this Government will deliver.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Migration fuels second-biggest population rise in 75 years
The population of England and Wales has seen its second biggest annual jump in 75 years due to surging immigration, new figures show. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the population grew by 700,000 in the year to last June, almost entirely driven by migration. The statistics watchdog said a small portion of the increase was driven by natural change, the difference between births and deaths. But net migration, the difference between those moving to England and Wales and those leaving, accounted for 690,147 of the increase. Some 1,142,303 people were estimated to have arrived in England and Wales in the 12 months to June 2024 while 452,156 were likely to have left. There were an estimated 61.8 million people in England and Wales in mid-2024, up 706,881 (1.2 per cent) from 61.1 million in mid-2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is the second largest numerical jump since at least 1949, when comparable data begins, behind only the rise of 821,210 that took place in the preceding 12 months from mid-2022 to mid-2023. Nigel Henretty of the ONS said: "The population of England and Wales has increased each year since mid-1982. "The rate of population increase has been higher in recent years and the rise seen in the year to mid-2024 represents the second largest annual increase in numerical terms in over 75 years. "Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century." Nigel Farage said the figures are 'disastrous for the quality of life for everyone in the country'. The Reform UK leader said: 'It puts impossible pressures on public services and further divides our communities.' Sir Keir Starmer has promised to bring down sky-high migration, pressing ahead with a slate of reforms set out by the Conservatives in government. But the prime minister found himself in hot water after a major speech on migration in which he echoed Enoch Powell, warning that Britain risked becoming an 'island of strangers'. The PM also said that the number of people entering the country is causing 'incalculable damage'. Going further than the Tories, Sir Keir vowed a ban on the recruitment of care workers from overseas, increased English language requirements for immigrants and the tightening of access to skilled worker visas. The number of people living in England and Wales has risen annually since mid-1982, with migration contributing most to population growth every year since mid-1999. Before then, increases were caused mainly by natural change. The rise of 706,881 in the 12 months to June 2024 is the second biggest year-on-year numerical jump in population since at least 1949, which is the earliest comparable ONS data. It is behind only the rise of 821,210 that took place in the preceding 12 months from mid-2022 to mid-2023. This means the population is estimated to have grown by 1.5 million between June 2022 and June 2024: the largest two-year jump since current records began.
