Muhammad has once again been named the most popular boys' name in England and Wales, marking the third consecutive year the name has topped the annual rankings published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The latest figures, based on births registered during 2025, show that 5,957 baby boys were given the name Muhammad, almost 2,000 more than the second most popular name, Noah. Leo climbed into third place, followed by Luca, while Arthur, Oliver and George all slipped down the rankings. Olivia remained the most popular girls' name for another year, ahead of Lily, Amelia, Isla and Florence.

Muhammad has now been among the top 10 boys' names since 2016 and has featured in the top 100 every year since 1997. The ONS also records different spellings separately, meaning Mohammed ranked 20th and Mohammad came in at 55th. Together, those alternative spellings accounted for a further 2,600 babies in 2025, although they are not combined in the official rankings.

The figures have once again prompted discussion over why Muhammad continues to top the list despite Muslims making up a minority of the UK's population. According to previous analysis from the ONS, several factors contribute to this trend. Muslim families are significantly more likely to choose Muhammad than the wider population is to choose any single non-Muslim boys' name. Meanwhile, parents from other backgrounds tend to spread their choices across a much wider variety of names, meaning no single alternative reaches the same total. The ONS has also pointed to the continued growth of Britain's Muslim population and increasing cultural diversity as contributing factors.

The statistics quickly became a talking point across social media, with many users offering differing interpretations of the figures. One person commented:

"Lool! Here we go again, we will be hearing from Tommy Robinson and co. by tomorrow LOOL!"

Others argued that the rankings are often misunderstood.

"The majority of Muslims name their son Mohammed, whereas the majority of English people name their kids random names, this statistic is soooo misleading."

Another questioned how the figures compared with the wider population.

"Loool, how does this make sense if the population is about 80 something percent white? So you're telling me white people are naming their kids Mohammed??"

The ONS has previously noted that many of the UK's most popular baby names originate from outside Britain, including Noah, which has Hebrew origins, Leo, Luca and Isabella, which have Italian roots, and Freya, which comes from Scandinavian mythology. As with many naming trends, cultural heritage, religion, family tradition and popular culture all continue to influence parents' choices.

While the annual rankings often generate debate, they remain a snapshot of naming trends rather than a measure of the wider population. For now, Muhammad continues to hold the top spot, and judging by the conversation online, the discussion surrounding it is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.