Muhammad becomes London's favourite boy's name but Harry still comes out top overall

By Rebecca Evans

Muhammed has become the most popular name for baby boys in London for the first time.

Combined spellings of the Islamic prophet’s name have made it the most popular name for newborn boys in England for three years in a row.

They rank higher than other favourites such as Harry and Jack in the top 100 names for boys from the Office for National Statistics.

Now, however, the single variant Muhammad has topped the list in the capital with 768 registered births last year, ahead of Daniel on 666.
Baby names

When combined with Mohammed, the name was more than double any other with 1479 boys given the name.

Across England, a total of 7,032 babies were given the name using the spellings of Muhammad (18th), Mohammed (25th) and Mohammad (58th) – topping the 6,893 that were called Harry.

On the top 100 names for boys and girls, there has been a surge in names probably more often seen in an Edwardian novel.

Babies whose births are induced or sped up by drugs 'have higher risk of developing autism'
Baby born at 23 weeks is thriving: Tiny Lucas given just one-in-four chance of survival... but is now well enough to go home four days before his due date

Meanwhile several modern names which had gained popularity in recent years – including Ashton and Reece for boys and Nicole and Kayla for girls – have dropped out of the top 100 altogether.

Lisa Penney, of the parenting club Bounty.com, believes that while celebrity-styled or unusual names may be fun, parents know their children will ‘probably have an easier ride in the playground if they choose a more traditional name’.

She said: ‘We are now seeing a growing trend for “old man” and “old lady” names.

‘Just a few years ago Ava and Isla were relatively unheard of as a baby girl’s name, yet now they are in the top 20.’

Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard said: ‘Many mums are looking back into their family tree and selecting great-grandparents’ names, while others are seeking names which would have seemed stuffy a decade ago but fit with the current retro vibe across the UK.’

It has been suggested that television shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, which counts former ballerina Darcey Bussell as one of its judges, could be responsible for boosting the popularity of the name Darcey.

Since 1999 the number of babies called Mohammed, however spelled, has increased by more than half.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2egF5CNw6