Is Muhammad a boy or a girl name?

Muhammad is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 19,044 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Muhammad in 2023?

Muhammad ranks #272 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2023 with 1,241 babies.

How do you pronounce Muhammad?

Muhammad is pronounced moo-HAM-mad (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Muhammad?

Muhammad is also written as Mohammed, Mohammad, Mohamed, Muhammed.

A name from Arabic · Boy

Muhammad

مُحَمَّد

"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.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 94-year arc in numbers.

19,044 U.S. births recorded from 1929–2023.

Popularity · 1929–2023

1,241 births in 2023

1929 1976 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

M"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.

Etymology, in one line

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.

Variants & spellings

4 ways to spell "Muhammad".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Mohammed Most common Mohammad Mohamed Muhammed

Related guides

People who carry the name Muhammad.

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

Quick answers

People often ask about Muhammad.

What does the name Muhammad mean?: Muhammad means "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.
Where does the name Muhammad come from?: Muhammad is a boy name of Arabic origin. 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.
Is Muhammad a boy or a girl name?: Muhammad is overwhelmingly a boy name in the United States. Of the 19,044 U.S. babies recorded with this name, more than 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Muhammad in 2023?: Muhammad ranks #272 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2023 with 1,241 babies.
How do you pronounce Muhammad?: Muhammad is pronounced moo-HAM-mad (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Muhammad?: Muhammad is also written as Mohammed, Mohammad, Mohamed, Muhammed.

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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.

Muhammad

A 94-year arc in numbers.

A name that means something.

4 ways to spell "Muhammad".

Read more in the Almanac.

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

People who carry the name Muhammad.

People often ask about Muhammad.

If you love Muhammad, also consider…

About this page