Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim to embark on a historic state visit to Russia, marking the first such visit by a Malaysian King since diplomatic relations commenced in 1967.
In England and Wales, the name Muhammad continues to dominate the baby name charts, marking the second consecutive year it has held the top spot. With over 5,700 baby boys being named Muhammad in its most common spelling, the name saw a 23% increase from the previous year [1][2].
This trend is influenced by the name's strong cultural and religious significance within the Muslim community, as well as the over 30 different spellings of the name that have collectively dominated the charts for over a decade [1]. Muhammad means "praiseworthy" or "commendable" in Arabic, and is famously the name of the Islamic prophet, which sustains its continued adoption in Muslim families [2].
The rise in Muhammad as a baby name reflects demographic changes and cultural retention among Muslim communities in England and Wales, where Muslim names overall have become more common [2]. Other popular Muslim names include Yusuf, Musa, Ibrahim, and Layla [2].
In the United States, the naming trends show a different picture. Liam and Olivia remained the most popular baby names for the sixth consecutive year in 2024 [3]. Olivia retained its number one ranking for the third consecutive year for the most popular baby names for girls, with Amelia and Lily following in the top three, replacing Isla [3]. For boys, Noah and Oliver remained in second and third place respectively [3].
Interestingly, names inspired by royalty saw a continued decline in popularity for the most popular baby names in 2024 [3]. This diversification in naming trends is seen as a sign of growing cultural exposure and global influence among parents, according to the Daily Mail [3].
In the United States, names of Arabic, Norse, Italian, and Scottish-Spanish origin entered the top 20 in naming trends, according to the ONS report [3]. The ONS report also noted quirkier naming trends, with names like Awesome, Poem, and Everest given to fewer than five babies in 2024 [3].
In the United States, May was the biggest climber among girls' names in 2024, jumping 14 places into the top 25 [3]. George and William did not rank in the top 10 most popular baby names for boys in 2024 [3]. Meghan saw a sharp drop in popularity, with only 17 babies given the name in 2024, an 83% decrease from the previous year [3].
A spokeswoman from English language platform Preply stated that cross-cultural names are perceived as modern, accessible, and stylish [3]. Rory and Elijah saw the largest year-on-year gains for boys' names in both the United States and the United Kingdom in 2024 [3].
References: [1] Office for National Statistics (ONS) report [2] BBC News article [3] US Social Security Administration data and various news articles.
- Amidst the changing trends in baby names, Kuala Lumpur's immigration data reveals a diverse range of names of Arabic origin, such as Muhammad, Yusuf, Musa, and Ibrahim, reflecting the city's growing Muslim population.
- In stark contrast to the dominance of Muhammad in baby name charts in England and Wales, war-and-conflicts-related news from regions like the Middle East might have contributed to a decline in names inspired by royalty in the United States, as indicated by the recent ONS report.
- As general-news sources report a rise in cross-cultural names being perceived as modern and stylish, the political landscape of different countries could influence the choice of baby names, leading to more diverse name charts in future years.
