British parents apparently love Muhammad

LONDON, June 6 (UPI) -- The name Muhammad, in all of its various spellings, has now become the second most popular name in Britain to bestow a baby boy, a report said.

The Times of London reported Wednesday that in 2006, the parents of 5,991 baby boys decided to give their newborn child a name with religious connotations, second only to Jack.

One Warwick University professor said the name, which beat out third-place finisher Thomas for second, was likely due to Muslim families in Britain honoring their religion.

"Muslim parents like to have something that shows a link with their religion or with the Prophet," professor Muhammad Anwar said.

Yet the popularity of the name remains surprising as Muslims currently only represent 3 percent of the nation's overall population.

The newspaper's study found other top finishers in 2006 were Joshua, Oliver, Harry and James.