Ahmad
Borrowed from Arabic أَحْمَد (ʔaḥmad), elative of حَمِيد (ḥamīd, “praiseworthy”); or from Persian اَحْمَد (ahmad).
Every Ahmad since 1950 — 20,366 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ahmad
Ahmad is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #669 in 2025 with 407 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1950, 20,366 American babies have been named Ahmad. Its peak came in 2001, when 662 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ahmad stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ahmad year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 407 | #669 |
| 2024 | — | — | 411 | #668 |
| 2023 | — | — | 393 | #685 |
| 2022 | — | — | 437 | #634 |
| 2021 | — | — | 385 | #689 |
| 2020 | — | — | 429 | #625 |
| 2019 | — | — | 454 | #602 |
| 2018 | — | — | 502 | #552 |
| 2017 | — | — | 481 | #564 |
| 2016 | — | — | 466 | #588 |
| 2015 | — | — | 498 | #565 |
| 2014 | — | — | 490 | #567 |
| 2013 | — | — | 458 | #569 |
| 2012 | — | — | 444 | #579 |
| 2011 | — | — | 426 | #588 |
| 2010 | — | — | 494 | #523 |
| 2009 | — | — | 567 | #482 |
| 2008 | — | — | 465 | #560 |
| 2007 | — | — | 462 | #558 |
| 2006 | — | — | 487 | #524 |
| 2005 | — | — | 542 | #467 |
| 2004 | — | — | 508 | #487 |
| 2003 | — | — | 542 | #465 |
| 2002 | — | — | 626 | #404 |
| 2001 | — | — | 662 | #386 |
| 2000 | — | — | 526 | #454 |
| 1995 | — | — | 347 | #546 |
| 1990 | — | — | 327 | #560 |
| 1985 | — | — | 190 | #638 |
| 1980 | — | — | 238 | #556 |
| 1975 | — | — | 135 | #712 |
| 1970 | — | — | 48 | #1,192 |
| 1965 | — | — | 21 | #1,721 |
| 1960 | — | — | 21 | #1,772 |
| 1955 | — | — | 7 | #3,202 |
| 1950 | — | — | 5 | #3,691 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ahmad
- Ahmad ibn Hanbal Writer · 780–855
- Ahmad Yasawi Writer · 1103–1166
- Ahmad Sanjar Politician · 1085–1157
- Ahmad Shah Massoud Politician · 1953–2001
- Ahmad ibn Fadlan Writer · 900–960
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ahmad mean?
Borrowed from Arabic أَحْمَد (ʔaḥmad), elative of حَمِيد (ḥamīd, “praiseworthy”); or from Persian اَحْمَد (ahmad).
How popular is the name Ahmad in 2025?
Ahmad ranked #669 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 407 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ahmad?
20,366 babies have been named Ahmad in the United States since 1950, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ahmad most popular?
Ahmad peaked in 2001, when 662 newborns received the name.
Is Ahmad a boy or girl name?
Ahmad is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ahmad rising or falling?
Ahmad has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ahmad?
Well-known people named Ahmad include Ahmad ibn Hanbal (writer), Ahmad Yasawi (writer), Ahmad Sanjar (politician).