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The baby names that Dubai happens to loves the most

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The list provided by Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) skimmed through child registration details in schools, scanning more than 250,000 names.

Published: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 1:00 AM

Updated: Tue 10 Jan 2023, 12:41 PM

Dubai — Naming the baby is the first challenge that welcomes parents anywhere in the world. While there are no prizes for guessing that Mohammed and Maryam remain the most popular names in Dubai, Ali and Sara come in a close second in the list of names of boys and girls.

The list provided by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) skimmed through child registration details in schools, scanning more than 250,000 names.

The agency combined similar sounding names with different spellings to arrive at the top five list. Interestingly, this is the first time such a list has been revealed by the education regulator. “It is common to see four or five students share Mohammed as their first name in a class of 25 to 30 students. We usually get called by our second name,” said Mohammed Rehan, a student at an Indian private school in Dubai.

The names draw inspiration from famous Muslim personalities. Abu Safa, a researcher who has worked in the UAE for more than 20 years, explained the trend was linked closely with culture and family values.

“Arab families usually have a deep-rooted connection with a few names which are associated with their lineage and identity. The trend is to continue using these names and not to look for something drastically different,” he said.

Muaz@khaleejtimes.com



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