Muhammad
Boy name · #239 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Muhammad? In official American birth records, Muhammad has been tracked continuously since 1929, giving it 96 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,473 baby boys were named Muhammad, placing it at #239 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #365, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,222 boys born in 2025 was named Muhammad.
Babies named Muhammad per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 96-year story
Muhammad first appears in the Social Security records in 1929, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,473 babies and a rank of #239. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Muhammad against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Muhammad in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Muhammad is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Muhammad is most common
Geography matters for names, and Muhammad is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Muhammad is most common in NY (4.3 per 1,000), MD (2.7 per 1,000), IL (2.2 per 1,000), VA (1.9 per 1,000), PA (1.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Muhammad is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Muhammad
Statistically, parents drawn to Muhammad tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mohammad, Malakai, Mathias, Matthias, and Shepherd.
MohammadMalakaiMathiasMatthiasShepherdMarceloMessiahMilan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Muhammad | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,473 | #239 |
| 2024 | 1,445 | #246 |
| 2023 | 1,241 | #271 |
| 2022 | 1,155 | #298 |
| 2021 | 1,085 | #307 |
| 2020 | 1,063 | #309 |
| 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 | #505 |
| 2009 | 430 | #601 |
| 2008 | 403 | #616 |
| 2007 | 330 | #705 |
| 2006 | 366 | #637 |
| 2005 | 299 | #691 |
| 2004 | 296 | #681 |
| 2003 | 306 | #651 |
| 2002 | 284 | #657 |
| 2001 | 339 | #588 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Muhammad?
In official American birth records, the name Muhammad first appeared in 1929 (over 96 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 96 years.
Is Muhammad a popular boy name?
Muhammad ranked #239 among boys in 2025 with 1,473 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #365.
When was the name Muhammad most popular?
Muhammad peaked in 2025, when 1,473 American boys received the name (ranked #239 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Muhammad?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,222 newborn American boys was named Muhammad. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.