Muhammad

مُحَمَّد

Boy Arabic /moo-HAM-mad/ #272 in 2023

Muhammad is a boy name of Arabic origin.

Meaning of Muhammad

"The praised one." Name of the Prophet of Islam ﷺ — mentioned four times in the Qur'an (3:144, 33:40, 47:2, 48:29). "Muhammad" is the classical academic transliteration and the fastest-rising Muslim spelling in the United States.

Arabic root: ḥ-m-d — (ح-م-د, to praise)

Regional variants

In the US, "Muhammad" is the preferred form among Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and convert families; "Mohamed" among North African; "Mohammed" among Gulf-Arab and South Asian. All four spellings lead to the same Arabic: مُحَمَّد.

Popularity of Muhammad

Popularity, 1929–2023

1,240 births in 2023

1929 2023

19,037 U.S. births recorded from 1929–2023.

Peak year

2023

1,240 babies

First recorded

1929

94 years of history

Recent trend

Rising

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Variants & nicknames

MohammedMohammadMohamedMuhammed

Related guide

Mohammed, Muhammad, or Mohamed? How to Choose the Right Spelling

One name, a dozen English spellings. A practical guide for US parents on which to pick and why — with regional patterns, SSA data, and the practical trade-offs of each.

Read the full guide →

Famous people named Muhammad

Muhammad Ali (boxer)
Muhammad Yunus (Nobel laureate)
Mahershala Ali (actor)

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meaning and cultural context drawn from classical sources: Lisan al-Arab, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Qur'an and Sunnah. If you spot an error, please let us know.