Mohammed, and its most common alternative spelling Muhammad, are now more popular babies' names in England and Wales than George, reflecting the diverse ethnic mix of the population.
The Office for National Statistics said there were 2,833 baby boys called Mohammed in 2006.The name is 22nd in the list of most popular boys' names, moving up a place from last year.
Spelled Muhammad, it is the 44th most popular name and enters the top 50 for the first time along with Noah, Oscar, Lucas and Rhys.
There were 2,833 babies called Mohammed born in 2006 and 1,422 called Muhammad. The total exceeds the number of Georges (3,386) or Josephs (3,755).
The list of popular babies' names for 2006 also shows that the cult of celebrity is changing the baptismal tide.
George, the old front runner, has now been replaced by the favorite Islamic name. Welcome to the new England. My only question now...are we going to lose an ally in the coming years? More here.
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