UK boy's name
Mo
An English masculine diminutive of Morris or Maurice of Germanic origin.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mo is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mo popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 3 births.
This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 12 living people in the UK are called Mo. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mo ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 3 boys were registered as Mo.
- • About 12 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mo as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
3 births
Estimated living
12
2026
Meaning
What does Mo mean?
The name Mo originates from various cultures and has a rich history spanning several centuries. It is a diminutive form of the name Mohammed, which is derived from the Arabic word 'mahmud' meaning 'praiseworthy' or 'blessed'. Mohammed is one of the most popular names in the Islamic world, as it was the name of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam.
Mo can also be a shortened version of other names such as Moses, derived from the Hebrew 'Moshe' meaning 'drawn out of water'. In the Bible, Moses was a prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God.
The earliest recorded use of the name Mo dates back to the 7th century AD, during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. One of the first notable figures with this name was Mo'awiya I, the founder of the Umayyad Caliphate, who ruled from 661 to 680 AD.
In the 12th century, Mo Tzu, a Chinese philosopher and the founder of the school of Mohism, was a prominent figure known for his teachings on universal love and the condemnation of offensive warfare.
During the Renaissance period, Mo Yan was a renowned Chinese novelist and short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2012 for his works that merge folk tales, history, and contemporary life.
In the 20th century, Mo Farah, a British long-distance runner of Somali descent, won multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medals in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter events, making him one of the most successful track athletes of all time.
Another notable figure with the name Mo is Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British businessman and philanthropist, who established the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to support good governance and leadership in Africa.
Throughout history, the name Mo has been associated with various cultures, religions, and significant figures, reflecting its diverse origins and the diverse experiences of those who have borne this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mo over time
The chart below shows babies named Mo registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Mo, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mo by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mo was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4811 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4052 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2863 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Mo
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Mo: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mo in the UK right now?
In 2017, Mo was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Mo most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 3 babies registered as Mo in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mo?
An English masculine diminutive of Morris or Maurice of Germanic origin.
How many people are called Mo in the UK?
A total of 12 babies have been registered as Mo across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.