Muhammad first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Muhammad has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Muhammad

An Arabic masculine name meaning "praiseworthy" or "praised one".

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 2024, there were 1,441 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Muhammad.

Year	Male Count	Female Count
2024	1,441	0
2023	1,237	0
2022	1,149	0
2021	1,083	0
2020	1,062	0
2019	996	0
2018	962	0
2017	897	0
2016	958	0
2015	882	0
2014	774	0
2013	694	0
2012	582	0
2011	545	0
2010	510	0
2009	430	0
2008	403	0
2007	330	0
2006	366	0
2005	299	0
2004	296	0
2003	306	0
2002	284	0
2001	339	0
2000	304	0
1999	240	0
1998	226	0
1997	217	0
1996	190	0
1995	191	0
1994	153	0
1993	145	0
1992	139	0
1991	114	0
1990	106	0
1989	91	0
1988	106	0
1987	110	0
1986	95	0
1985	100	0
1984	122	0
1983	115	0
1982	108	0
1981	91	0
1980	85	0
1979	106	0
1978	85	0
1977	77	0
1976	75	0
1975	55	0

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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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