Khan, Ahmed and Ali Rise as Britain’s Newborn Surname
News Desk
LONDON: Britain’s changing demographics are increasingly reflected in the surnames given to newborns, with Khan, Ahmed and Ali climbing the rankings while several traditionally common British surnames lose ground, according to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The figures for England and Wales reveal a notable transformation over the past three decades, highlighting how the surnames associated with new generations are changing. While Smith remains the most common surname among newborns, Khan has secured second place, followed by Ahmed in third and Ali in fourth.
Other surnames appearing prominently on the list include Hussain, Singh, Patel and Kaur, reflecting the growing visibility of South Asian family names among younger generations.
According to British media reports, the popularity of Khan, Ahmed and Ali has nearly doubled over the past 30 years.
Meanwhile, the use of Singh and Kaur has increased fivefold, marking a particularly striking change in the naming patterns of newborns.
In contrast, several surnames long associated with Britain’s traditional naming landscape have declined. The number of newborns bearing the surname Jones has fallen by 43 percent, while the number registered with the surname Smith dropped from 7,276 in 1996 to 4,102 in 2025.
The figures also point to greater diversity in the surnames recorded for children. More than 23,400 distinct surnames were registered among newborns in 2025, compared with over 21,600 in 1996.
At the same time, fewer surnames now account for large numbers of births. In 1996, more than 1,000 children shared each of 57 surnames. By 2025, that number had fallen to just 23 surnames, suggesting a broader distribution of family names among the newborn population.
The changes come alongside another notable naming trend: Muhammad remained the most popular boys’ name in England and Wales for the third consecutive year in 2025, with 5,957 boys given the name.
Taken together, the figures offer a glimpse into the evolving social and demographic landscape of England and Wales. They suggest that the names carried by the next generation are becoming more diverse, while some surnames that once dominated birth registrations are gradually losing their prominence.
However, surname rankings alone do not establish the reasons behind these changes. Birth patterns, migration, family traditions and differences in how names are recorded may all influence the figures. The data nevertheless highlights a clear shift in the surnames appearing among the youngest generation.
