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Mahmud

♂ Boy

Pronounced mah-MOOD /mɑˈmud/Medium

Meaning: From Arabic, 'praiseworthy; praised; commendable' (sharing a root with Muhammad and Ahmad)Low

In 30 seconds: Praiseworthy; praised: Mahmud is Arabic. Crisp, classic, and warm (said 'mah-MOOD').

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Origin LowArabic

MeaningFrom Arabic, 'praiseworthy; praised; commendable' (sharing a root with Muhammad and Ahmad)

U.S. rank (2025)#13191 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 244

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Mahmud comes from Arabic, 'praiseworthy; praised; commendable' (sharing the h-m-d root with Muhammad and Ahmad; borne by Mahmud of Ghazni). A crisp, classic name (said 'mah-MOOD').

In the U.S. it appears in Muslim families. Rare, praiseworthy at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Mahmud means 'praiseworthy; praised; commendable' in Arabic (sharing a root with Muhammad and Ahmad) — a crisp, classic name (said 'mah-MOOD').

Overall data confidence 48%

References — Mahmud — Arabic etymology

Variations

MahmoudMehmoodMahmood

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Mahmud…

Mahmoud— a kin spelling

Ahmad— a fellow h-m-d-root Arabic boys' name

Masud— a similarly popular pick

Dawud— a fellow Arabic choice

Ahmaud— shares the -ud ending

Explore names like Mahmud

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Mahmud mean?

Mahmud is Arabic for 'praiseworthy; praised; commendable'.

How do you pronounce Mahmud?

It's said mah-MOOD /mɑˈmud/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Mahmud a boy or girl name?

Mahmud is a boy's name.

How popular is Mahmud?

Mahmud is a rare name in the U.S.