Noah vs Muhammed

Hey there Insiders

I heard last week that Muhammed had become the most popular name for baby boys in the United Kingdom. It overtook Noah as the last top pick. This is not only due to the amount of Muslim immigration into Britain but also because native Brits are not having children at the same rate as those who immigrate.

It is perhaps a strange metaphor for a triumph of darkness over light, and in more ways than one. Of course the growing presence of Islam in formerly Christian countries is concerning, but it’s hardly the case that all the baby Noah’s were named after the Patriarch by Bible-believing Brits. Baby naming trends come and go and Noah was probably popular for reasons besides the Christian convictions of parents.

So why is the popularity of an Islamic name newsworthy? John Stonestreet of Breakpoint noted that religious fervor is foreign to the secular mindset. To it, religion is a private collection of ideas that helps you cope with the world or gives you purpose in life. Why would all those parents name their babies after some long-dead prophet? That seems a bit much.