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Mohammed

♂ Boy

Pronounced moh-HAM-med /moʊˈhæm.əd/High

Meaning: From Arabic Muhammad, from the root hamida meaning 'to praise,' with the intensive prefix producing 'the highly praised one' or 'the most praiseworthy'High

In 30 seconds: Mohammed is one of the most widely given names in human history — borne by the Prophet of Islam, it means 'the most highly praised.' Sacred, ancient, and globally ubiquitous.
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Origin HighArabic
MeaningFrom Arabic Muhammad, from the root hamida meaning 'to praise,' with the intensive prefix producing 'the highly praised one' or 'the most praiseworthy'
U.S. rank (2025)#595 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births486 boys (0.03% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2014
Total births (all-time)≈ 16,213

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201419222025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Mohammed (also spelled Muhammad, Mohamed, Mohammad) derives from the Arabic root hamida ('to praise'). The intensive mu- prefix creates the meaning 'the highly praised one.' The name was given to the Prophet Muhammad (c. 570–632 AD), founder of Islam, and became the most important personal name in the Muslim world, given as both a name and a blessing.

Mohammed and its variants rank among the most common boys' names globally and have been in consistent use in the United States as Muslim immigration grew throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. The name carries profound religious significance for Muslim families and is often given as a first name even when the child goes by a second name.

Did you know? It is estimated that over 150 million men worldwide bear some form of the name Muhammad — making it, by many counts, the single most common given name on Earth when all spelling variants are combined.
Overall data confidence 99%
Behind the Name — Muhammad — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

MuhammadMohamedMohammadMuhammed

Nicknames

MoHamid

Famous Bearers

  • ★The Prophet Muhammad (c. 570–632 CE)
    Founder of Islam, regarded by Muslims as the final prophet of God.
  • ★Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) (1942–2016)
    American heavyweight boxing champion who converted to Islam and changed his name.

If you like Mohammed…

Muhammad— the primary transliteration of the same Arabic name
Ibrahim— the Arabic form of Abraham — another deeply revered Islamic prophet name
Omar— classic Arabic boys' name with the same deep Islamic tradition and global use
Yusuf— Arabic form of Joseph — another primary Islamic prophet name with similar reverence

Frequently Asked

What does the name Mohammed mean?

Mohammed is from Arabic Muhammad meaning 'the highly praised one,' from the root hamida (to praise).

How do you pronounce Mohammed?

It is said moh-HAM-med — three syllables with stress on the second.

Is Mohammed a boy or girl name?

Mohammed is exclusively a boys' name.

How popular is Mohammed?

Mohammed and its variants (Muhammad, Mohamed) are among the most given names globally. In the U.S. it ranks in the top 200 boys' names.