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MUHAMMAD, WILLOW AND MATILDA are among the names to make it into the top 100 baby names in Ireland for 2016.

Muhammad is the highest-climbing boy’s name, up 36 places from 2015 to 83rd overall. In girl’s names, Aria, Matilda, Harper, Willow, Heidi and Zoey are all new entrants to the top 100, with Willow and Matilda up 49 places each to 72 and 97, respectively.

At the top of the charts, James has displaced Jack as the most popular boy’s name, ending nine consecutive years at the top of the charts. There were 688 boys called James born last year. Emily remains on top of the girl’s names, a position the name has held since 2011.

The top five boys’ names James, Jack, Daniel, Conor and Sean have been the top five since 2007 with slight changes to their order. Indeed, four of the top five boys’ names (Jack, Sean, Conor and James) have been in the top five since 1998.

This is the sixth consecutive year that Emily has been the most popular name chosen for girls. Emily, Grace, Ava, Lucy and Amelia and Sophie (joint 5th) were the top five most popular names for girls in 2016.

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James was the most popular name for boys in Dublin City, Fingal, Kilkenny, Louth and Monaghan.

Ten areas favoured names outside of the top five for boys in 2016. In Cork City and Donegal Charlie was the most popular boy’s name, Noah was the most popular name in Laois and Cavan while Luke was the most favoured in Westmeath.

Michael was tops in Galway City and Thomas in Leitrim. In North Tipperary and Wicklow respectively Michael and Noah shared the top position with Jack while in Mayo Cillian shared the top position with Conor.

For girls, Anna was the favourite in Galway County. Caoimhe was favoured in Clare and Emma was the most popular in Longford. In Waterford County Saoirse was the most popular. In Kerry and Galway City, Fiadh was the most popular name.

Fiadh also shared the top place with Grace in North Tipperary. In Carlow and Waterford City Mia was the name most favoured.

The surname Murphy accounted for over 1.1% (697 births) while Kelly accounts for 0.9% or 598 births.

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