The original article and its links are an interesting example of manipulation of statistics to exaggerate a point. Checking through the links, there seem to be different totals for Mohammed variants in different articles: 6591 and 7576. The first article does not give the total number of male births but another says: 'There were 708,711 live births in England and Wales during 2008, with 26,815 different boys' names and 34,043 different girls' names registered.'

Using 350,000 for total male births (assuming ca. 50%, probably not the case) and 7576 for Mohammed type names, this gives just 2% of total male births with Mohammed variant names. In the UK 1,591,000 Muslims were recorded at the 2001 Census (2.7% of the total population); recent estimates suggest 2.4 million (Wikipedia). (Note that an increase of 500,000 in a base of 1.5 million, or ca 30%, in less than 10 years seems statistically suspicious - if it is really correct (testable at the 2011 census), this has to be migration, or conversion etc not births.)

So, the absolute proportion of Mohammed variants is small, but its appearance among the most popular names has to be related to the tiny number of names used in Islamic communities, compared to the huge number of boy's names overall - 26,815!

In short the world is not coming to an end, and the UK is not being overrun by Muslims.

In fact I'd be a lot more worried about the Jedi. The 2001 census recorded 390,000 Jedi Knights, making Jedi the fourth-largest "religion" in the UK (Wikipedia). But discrimination is at work here: all returns with "Jedi Knight" were classified as "No religion", along with Atheist, Agnostic, Heathen and those who ticked "Other" but did not write in any religion. [Moving Jedi from No Religion gives the following percentages, roughly: Christian 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1.0%, Jedi 0.7%, Sikh 0.6%, No religion 15%]

Why are the authorities hiding the Jedi expansion? Where are the investigative reporters?

There are intended religious conitations in the name that is supposed to be brought to mind by its use. So when you address the person as Mahomet / Mohammed you are expected to respect the person. It is not used commonly as blasphemy in the West. Islam is a propagation religion and the use of the name in a Western country is intended to give respect to the prophet and his divine authority. Whereas the name Jesus is not used in western countries as a personal name out of respect for one who stands alone in divine revelation. Though many use the name in blasphemy in Western countries with the intent of disrespect to the person.

Urgent fact-checking required, Philo.

>>Whereas the name Jesus is not used in western countries as a personal name...<<

http://www.thetop100babynames.com/Nationality/HispanicBabyNames.htm

"Marias, Joses and Jesuses are very common names (English names being Mary, Joseph and Jesus)."

Please note: Jesus (pronounced 'hey-zooce') is a "very common name" in - largely Catholic - Hispanic countries.

Heh. My daughter's high school Spanish teacher's name is Jesus. On the other hand, in my tiny little country town we have two Mohammeds and one Muhammad. Strangely enough, nobody confused them for each other.

Mind you, Proxy may have a point. A Muslim immigrant has just been crowned Miss USA. The end is nigh.

<< A Lebanese-American woman has beaten 50 other contestants to be crowned Miss USA.

Rima Fakih is the first Muslim and immigrant to win the coveted beauty pageant title. >>

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/18/2902284.htm

Any kids around called Santa?. That would be cool.

CJ Morgan,
The end is nigher than you think:
"Intelligence sources confirm that at least three of Fakih’s relatives are currently top officials in Hezbollah and that at least eight Fakih family members were Hezbollah terrorists killed by the Israelis in past Israel-Lebanese wars and interventions. Some of her family members were originally in Harakat Amal [the Shi'ite Amal militia], which is now essentially a part of Hezbollah. There’s a reason that even Al-Manar TV–Hezbollah’s official TV network–is high on Fakih in the Miss USA pageant."
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/21757/exclusive-miss-usa-contestant-is-shiite-muslim-who-supports-hezbollah-hezbo-taqiyyah-allows-bikinis/