‘Muhammad’ Among Top 10 Baby Boy Names in New York City in 2023

Muhammad was among the top 10 baby boy names in New York City in 2023, according to recently released data from the New York City Health Department.

The health department released the data last week, revealing that 98,389 babies were born in the city in 2023 The department also provided a list of the top ten names for boys and girls in the city, with Emma and Liam topping the list for girls and boys, respectively. This has been the case for a while, as Liam has reigned supreme since 2016 and Emma has been the top pick since 2017.

The top ten names for boys — outside of Liam — include Noah, David, Lucas, Jacob, Ethan, Joseph, and two tied: Michael and Muhammad.

That coincides with Muhammad emerging as the top baby name for boys in England and Wales that same year.

Per the BBC:

Other spellings of the name Mohammed and Mohammad also made the top 100 list for England and Wales. The ONS considers each spelling as a separate name, with different variations of Muhammad proving popular in previous years.

According to the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), “Muhammad was the second most popular name in 2022 and has been in the top 10 most popular names for baby boys in England and Wales since 2016.”

Notably, like New York City, Noah is also on the list for top baby boy names in England and Wales.

For baby girls in New York City — outside of Emma — the remaining top ten names were Mia, Sophia, Olivia, Isabella, Amelia, Leah, Chloe, Luna, and Sofia.

More via NYC Department of Health:

While most of the names in the top ten from 2022 stood their ground, new names made their way to the top of the 2023 list. Sofia returned to the top ten after being bumped by Esther the previous year. Isabella and Amelia moved up a few spaces, bringing Leah down two spots. A former top baby name in 2020, Chloe emerged a winner with close to 250 baby girls given the name in 2023.

David moved up the ranks to top three, bumping Ethan from number three all the way down to number seven. Sending Alexander all the way down to number 17, Dylan and Muhammad rose to the top for the first time. Michael, a previous favorite among New Yorkers from 1980 to 2006, made its way back to the top ten.

“Our youngest New Yorkers are what make our city so special,” Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a statement provided in the press release.

“We welcome Emma, Liam, Mia, Noah, and all the other newborns to New York. With your presence, our city is a more joyful, brighter place for the new year and beyond,” she added.