Ahmed
Ahmed was the 703rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 382 babies. Its best year was 2000, when it ranked 490th; the most babies were born in 2015 (590). Over the last ten years it has moved down 207 places. More babies were named Ahmed in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Ahmad) most praiseworthy (Arabic) · Arabic, Persian
- Rank in 2025
- #703 boys, down 69 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 382boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2015590 babies
- Total since 1880
- 17,282babies recorded
What does the name Ahmed mean?
Ahmed is a spelling of Ahmad, pronounced the same way, so it shares Ahmad's meaning and origin.
Ahmad is an Arabic and Persian boys' name meaning "most praiseworthy," according to Wiktionary. It is the elative (comparative and superlative) form of hamid, praiseworthy, from the root ḥ-m-d, to praise, the same root as Muhammad. Wiktionary lists many spellings, including Ahmed, Ahmet and Achmed, and records the name in languages such as Hausa and Malay, where it was borrowed from Arabic. In the US Ahmad has been used since 1950.
أَحْمَد (Arabic, “most praiseworthy”)ح م د (Arabic, “root: praise”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Ahmed, Ahmet, Muhammad, Hamid, Mahmoud.
See also: Arabic names, names that mean fame.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Ahmad' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Muhammad', DMNES (Durham University)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Ahmed popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #703 | 382 |
| 2020 | #634 | 423 |
| 2010 | #537 | 476 |
| 2000 | #490 | 476 |
| 1990 | #710 | 204 |
| 1980 | #850 | 108 |
| 1970 | #1,297 | 41 |
| 1960 | #2,424 | 12 |
| 1950 | #3,692 | 5 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Ahmed, counting every spelling?
Ahmed is a spelling of Ahmad, a name family that ranked #410 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #703 for Ahmed on its own. Together these spellings went to 789 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmad | 407 | #669 | 2,033 |
| Ahmed | 382 | #703 | 2,002 |
| Ahmaad | — | — | 29 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Ahmed?
382 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Ahmed (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Ahmed born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 22 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Ahmed.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Ahmed?
About 16,800 people born in the US named Ahmed are alive today, with a median age of 18; half are between 10 and 28. That makes Ahmed mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Ahmed by state
How common Ahmed was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Minnesota (5.0×), Michigan (3.2×), New York (3.2×), Virginia (2.0×), New Jersey (1.7×). In 23 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Ahmed: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Ahmed, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Ahmed
What does Ahmed mean?
Ahmed is a spelling of Ahmad, which means “most praiseworthy (Arabic)” (Arabic, Persian origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Ahmed?
Ahmed was the 703rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 382 babies. Its best year was 2000, when it ranked 490th; the most babies were born in 2015 (590). Over the last ten years it has moved down 207 places. More babies were named Ahmed in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Ahmed a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Ahmed in the US.
Where is Ahmed most popular?
In 2021–2025, Ahmed was most common in Minnesota (1.15 per 1,000 boys), followed by Michigan and New York.