Find out how popular the first name Ahmed has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ahmed by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Ahmed is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 419 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Ahmed.

The history of the first name Ahmed

The name Ahmed is of Arabic origin, derived from the root word "hamd" which means "to praise" or "to thank." It is a popular name among Muslims, as it is believed to have been one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad.

Ahmed is a masculine name that first appeared in the 7th century CE, during the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. It gained widespread popularity as the Islamic faith spread across the Middle East, North Africa, and other regions of the world.

The name Ahmed is mentioned in several Islamic texts and historical records. It is believed to have been used as a name for the Prophet Muhammad himself, as well as for many of his companions and followers. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Ahmed ibn Hanbal, a renowned Islamic scholar and theologian who lived from 780 to 855 CE.

Throughout history, there have been many notable individuals who bore the name Ahmed. One of the most famous was Ahmed Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire in modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, who ruled from 1747 to 1772. Another prominent figure was Ahmed Shah Bahadur, the last ruler of the Mughal Empire in India, who reigned from 1748 to 1754.

In the realm of literature, Ahmed Shawqi, an Egyptian poet and playwright, is considered one of the pioneers of the Arabic literary renaissance. He lived from 1868 to 1932 and is often referred to as the "Prince of Poets." Additionally, Ahmed Sekou Toure, the first president of Guinea after its independence from France, was a prominent figure in the African independence movement, serving from 1958 to 1984.

Ahmed Zewail, an Egyptian-American scientist and the winner of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, is another notable bearer of this name. He was born in 1946 and is renowned for his groundbreaking work in the field of femtochemistry, the study of chemical reactions on extremely short timescales.

These are just a few examples of the many influential individuals throughout history who have carried the name Ahmed, a name deeply rooted in the Arabic language and Islamic culture, with a meaning that reflects the values of gratitude and praise.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ahmed was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ahmed, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!