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

Popularity of Muhammad by gender

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

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,237 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Muhammad.

The history of the first name Muhammad

The name Muhammad is an Arabic name derived from the root word ḥ-m-d, which means "to praise" or "to glorify". It is a masculine name that has been used in the Arab world for centuries, originating during the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, who lived in the 6th and 7th centuries CE.

Muhammad was the name of the founder of Islam, who was born in Mecca in 570 CE. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, mentions his name numerous times, and he is considered the final prophet in the Islamic faith. His life and teachings have had a profound impact on the spread of Islam and the development of Islamic culture and civilization.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Muhammad can be found in the Quranic verses and the hadith literature, which are the records of the Prophet's sayings and actions. The name also appears in various historical accounts and biographies of the Prophet Muhammad, written by early Islamic scholars and historians.

Throughout history, many notable figures have borne the name Muhammad. Here are five examples:

1. Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (c. 780 - c. 850 CE), a Persian mathematician, astronomer, and geographer who is considered the father of algebra and the algorithm.

2. Muhammad al-Idrisi (1099 - 1166 CE), an Arab geographer, cartographer, and Egyptologist who created one of the most detailed maps of the world in the 12th century.

3. Muhammad ibn Battuta (1304 - 1369 CE), a Moroccan explorer and scholar who traveled extensively across Africa, Asia, and Europe, documenting his journey in a famous travel narrative.

4. Muhammad Iqbal (1877 - 1938 CE), a philosopher, poet, and politician from British India, who is widely regarded as the spiritual father of the Pakistani nation.

5. Muhammad Ali (1942 - 2016 CE), an American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist, widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated figures of the 20th century.

The name Muhammad has been widely popular among Muslims throughout history, and it continues to be one of the most commonly used names in Muslim communities around the world today.

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 Muhammad was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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