A total of 4,204 babies were born in Malta and registered with the Malta Public Registry in 2023, a 5.7% increase in births compared to the previous year, statistics released by Identita agency on Tuesday showed.
In a statement, the agency said that out of these, 2,162 were boys and 2,042 were girls. For the second consecutive year, the most popular Maltese names were Gianni and Lucija.
Among the most popular names registered for these babies were Matteo, Noah, Luca, and Jack for boys, and Emma, Valentina, Julia, and Nina for girls.
During 2023, a total of 3,915 deaths were registered in Malta, made up of 1,943 males and 1,972 females.
The agency said that this indicates an increase of 132 deaths, or 3.5% increase compared to the previous year. The number of registered deceased males increased by four, while the number of deceased females increased by 136.
The Public Registry office at Mater Dei Hospital also observed an increase of 79 birth registrations during the past year, while death notifications decreased by 126, Identita said.
However, an increase was recorded in death notifications sent by mail, from nine in 2022 to 23 in 2023.
The online registration process for births and deaths also experienced a decline. In the past year, there were 34 birth notifications and 39 death notifications processed online, the agency said.
In the previous year, there were 49 birth notifications and 99 death notifications processed online.
“It is worth noting that the level of satisfaction with the services offered by the Mater Dei office is sought after by the Maltese,” the statement read.
In 2023, there were 2,036 marriages registered with the Malta Public Registry, a decrease of 201 marriages compared to the previous year. No civil unions were registered, while the number of registered cohabitations increased to 36, compared to 31 in 2022.
The agency said that in the past year, the Malta Public Registry issued a total of 68,987 certificates for births, marriages, civil unions, and deaths.
Of these, 39,217 certificates (57%) were processed online, while 29,770 were processed by the Public Registry Office in Marsa. 52 cohabitation certificates were issued.
Notifications of births and deaths, as well as applications for civil status certificates, can be submitted through the website https://pubreg.identita.gov.mt/.
CEO of the Identita Agency, Col Mark Mallia noted the success registered by the Malta Public Registry.
“The commitment to providing efficient services both online and in person remains a top priority for Identita. I am pleased to note that the Mater Dei office continues to fulfil its primary function, being close to citizens and offering personalized services in specific moments of life,” Mallia said.
He continued that as an agency, it ensures that both personal services and those provided online are of the highest quality.
“It is worth remembering that our digital services are now also reinforced through Two-Factor Authentication, providing added security to anyone accessing any government service through the virtual eID account,” Mallia concluded.