Why ‘Muhammad’ is now #1 boy’s name in once-Christian England

In 2023, “Muhammad” became the top choice for parents naming their baby boys in England and Wales. Data from Britain’s Office for National Statistics confirms not only that Muhammad is the most popular name, but that it has been a consistent top-10 favorite since 2016.

To gain perspective on why the Muslim prophet’s name is so wildly popular in formerly Christian Great Britain, WorldNetDaily spoke to Raymond Ibrahim, a widely published author and expert on Islam and the Middle East. For over eight years, Ibrahim has produced a monthly report titled “Muslim Persecution of Christians,” dedicated to chronicling the abuse and slaughter of Christians throughout the Islamic world.

In an article for The Stream, Ibrahim wrote recently, “Baby Muhammads are, in fact, taking over all of Western Europe (once a bastion against Muhammad).” He told WND the name’s popularity is a clear reflection of growing Muslim numbers and smaller native indigenous British numbers. And, added Ibrahim, this can be attributed both to higher birthrates of Muslims, and to high levels of Muslim migration.

Even without a Muslim majority, Ibrahim warned, a nation can be subject to increased threats of persecution or violence. Calling it “the rule of numbers,” he explained that a Muslim population of 10% often results in “a lot of problems.” Considering this, he pointed out, places like France, Germany, the U.K. and Sweden regularly face various Islamist threats.

In addition, Ibrahim told WND, “there’s the ghettoization of Muslim regions, [to include] enclaves or no-go zones that proliferate with increases” in Muslim population. “And all the while, it’s hard to point out that Muslims are a problematic minority without facing accusations of racism.”

Can anything be done to reverse the rapid Islamization of the U.K. and the rest of Europe?

With the challenges brought on by higher Muslim birthrates and Muslim migration, Ibrahim suggests the obvious: ceasing Muslim migration. But what about the already existing large Muslim population? “Deporting those who are illegal may help, but may not be that significant,” he conceded.

It’s a dilemma the United States faces as well. Not so much a problem of Muslim migration per se, but of massive non-Western migration, Ibrahim explained. For those that have illegally crossed the U.S. southern border, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, Ibrahim is concerned “these people are bringing a different set of priorities and cultural norms, often not representative of Christian ethos or Christian civilization.”

“While Muslims are more problematic in Europe,” he said, “[illegal immigration] could, one day, lead to a war on the identity of America, particularly on its founding identity as Christian in culture and outlook.”

He fears this could be the reason why the Left embraces “the infiltration.” For Ibrahim, “it’s because they hate Christianity and its culture, and want to undermine it any way they can.” While he is hopeful president-elect Donald Trump will stop illegal immigration into the United States, he said he is “on the fence” until he sees what actually happens.