According to the latest data from the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) and statistical bodies in European countries, the naming landscape for newborns has undergone a fundamental transformation reflecting profound demographic and migration changes across the European continent; Islamic and multicultural names have taken the lead.
In Britain (England and Wales), the name “Muhammad - Muhammad” ranks among the most commonly used names for newborn boys, while the classic European name “Olivia - Olivia” has retained its top position among girls.
The biggest change has occurred in surnames (Surnames); in 1996, every 10 leading British surname was represented (such as Smith, Jones and Williams), whereas this year only three British surnames remain among the 10 leading surnames, and traditional names such as Smith and Williams have lost 43 percent of their position. By contrast, the surname “Khan” has become the second most common surname, while the prevalence of names such as Ahmed, Ali and Hussein has doubled.
In Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway, the name “Noah - Noah” has become the first and most common name for baby boys, a shared and multicultural name.
The name “Gabriel - Gabriel” ranks first for boys and “Louise - Louise” for girls, while names such as Noah and Leo appear among the five leading names.
This country is one of those that has preserved traditional names the most; the names “Leonardo - Leonardo” for boys and “Sofia - Sofia” for girls top the list.
The sources of these statistics were the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Daily Mail newspaper and a report by the Alsumaria News Network.
