More new babies named Mohammed than George in Britain

Mohammed or Muhammad has overtaken George near the top of the list of most popular names for newborn babies in Britain, according to statistics, reflecting the ethnic mix of the population. The Office for National Statistics said Thursday there were 2,833 baby boys called Mohammed in 2006, with a further 1,422 Muhammads making a total of 4,255, exceeding the number of Georges (3,386) and Josephs (3,755). Mohammed is the 22nd most popular name for a newborn baby, while the spelling Muhammad is 44th and enters the top 50 for the first time.