Muhammad
Transliteration of Arabic مُحَمَّد (muḥammad, “praised, commendable, laudable”), the passive participle of حَمَّدَ (ḥammada, “to praise, commend, laud, extol”).
Every Muhammad since 1929 — 21,962 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Muhammad
Muhammad is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #239 in 2025 with 1,473 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1929, 21,962 American babies have been named Muhammad. Its peak came in 2025, when 1,473 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Muhammad stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Muhammad year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,473 | #239 |
| 2024 | 1,445 | #246 |
| 2023 | 1,241 | #272 |
| 2022 | 1,155 | #298 |
| 2021 | 1,085 | #307 |
| 2020 | 1,063 | #310 |
| 2019 | 996 | #337 |
| 2018 | 962 | #346 |
| 2017 | 898 | #369 |
| 2016 | 958 | #352 |
| 2015 | 882 | #365 |
| 2014 | 774 | #400 |
| 2013 | 694 | #423 |
| 2012 | 582 | #469 |
| 2011 | 545 | #482 |
| 2010 | 510 | #506 |
| 2009 | 430 | #601 |
| 2008 | 403 | #616 |
| 2007 | 330 | #705 |
| 2006 | 366 | #640 |
| 2005 | 299 | #691 |
| 2004 | 296 | #681 |
| 2003 | 306 | #652 |
| 2002 | 284 | #660 |
| 2001 | 339 | #591 |
| 2000 | 304 | #618 |
| 1995 | 191 | #778 |
| 1990 | 106 | #1,031 |
| 1985 | 100 | #909 |
| 1980 | 85 | #979 |
| 1975 | 55 | #1,142 |
| 1970 | 22 | #1,917 |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Muhammad
- Muhammad Religious figure · 570–632
- Muhammad Ali Boxer · 1942–2016
- Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi Mathematician · 780–850
- Muhammad al-Bukhari Religious figure · 810–870
- Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi Physician · 865–925
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Muhammad mean?
Transliteration of Arabic مُحَمَّد (muḥammad, “praised, commendable, laudable”), the passive participle of حَمَّدَ (ḥammada, “to praise, commend, laud, extol”).
How popular is the name Muhammad in 2025?
Muhammad ranked #239 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,473 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Muhammad?
21,962 babies have been named Muhammad in the United States since 1929, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Muhammad most popular?
Muhammad peaked in 2025, when 1,473 newborns received the name.
Is Muhammad a boy or girl name?
Muhammad is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Muhammad rising or falling?
Muhammad is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Muhammad?
Well-known people named Muhammad include Muhammad (religious figure), Muhammad Ali (boxer), Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (mathematician).