Muhammad
Muhammad was the 239th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,473 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 126 places. More babies were named Muhammad in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning praised, praiseworthy · Arabic
Say it moo-HAH-muhd /muˈhɑməd/
- Rank in 2025
- #239 boys, up 71 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,473boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20251,473 babies
- Total since 1880
- 21,962babies recorded
What does the name Muhammad mean?
Muhammad is the name of the founder of Islam. It is an Arabic passive participle of a verb meaning 'to praise', from the root h-m-d, so it means 'praised, praiseworthy'; DMNES, Wiktionary and Wikipedia agree. Wiktionary notes it is very popular among Muslims. Ahmad and Mahmud come from the same root. Mohammed and Mohamed are other common spellings, and Wikipedia also lists Muhammed, Muhamad and Mohammad.
مُحَمَّد (Arabic, “Muḥammad, praised”)ح م د (Arabic, “root: to praise”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Mohammed, Mohamed, Ahmad, Mahmud, Hamid.
See also: Arabic names, names that mean fame.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Muhammad', Durham University / The DMNES Editors
- Wiktionary, entry 'Muhammad', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Muhammad (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Nicknames for Muhammad
The usual nicknames for Muhammad are Mo.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mo · also for Moses, Mohamed, Maureen | Modern | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Muhammads go by each one.
Muhammad popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #239 | 1,473 |
| 2020 | #310 | 1,063 |
| 2010 | #506 | 510 |
| 2000 | #618 | 304 |
| 1990 | #1,031 | 106 |
| 1980 | #979 | 85 |
| 1970 | #1,917 | 22 |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Muhammad, counting every spelling?
Muhammad is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #242 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #239 for Muhammad on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,560 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammad | 1,473 | #239 | 6,399 |
| Muhammed | 67 | #2,159 | 404 |
| Muhamed | 10 | #8,045 | 76 |
| Muhamad | 10 | #8,044 | 58 |
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 Muhammad?
1,473 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Muhammad (0.41 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Muhammad 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 6 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Muhammad.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Muhammad?
About 21,600 people born in the US named Muhammad are alive today, with a median age of 10; half are between 5 and 19. That makes Muhammad a young name: most people with it are children.
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.
Muhammad by state
How common Muhammad was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New York (5.1×), Maryland (2.7×), Delaware (2.6×), New Jersey (2.2×), Virginia (2.1×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Alabama, Oregon, Louisiana.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Muhammad: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Muhammad, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Muhammad · Sibling names for Muhammad
Questions about the name Muhammad
What does Muhammad mean?
Muhammad means “praised, praiseworthy” (Arabic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Muhammad?
Muhammad was the 239th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 1,473 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 126 places. More babies were named Muhammad in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Muhammad a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Muhammad in the US.
Where is Muhammad most popular?
In 2021–2025, Muhammad was most common in New York (3.76 per 1,000 boys), followed by Maryland and Delaware.