Muhammad (Arabic: محمد) is the primary transliteration of the Arabic given name, مُحَمَّد, from the triconsonantal root of Hamad; Praise that comes from the Arabic passive participle and triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D (Praise); hence Praised, or praiseworthy. It is the name of the Islamic prophet. Throughout the Muslim world, it is popular to name a male child after him. This name and its variant transliterations are among the most popular names in the world.
The name Muḥammad is the strictest and primary transliteration of the Arabic given name, محمدﷺ, that comes from the Arabic passive participle and triconsonantal root of Ḥ-M-D (Praise); hence Praised, or praiseworthy. However, its actual pronunciation differs colloquially, for example, in Egyptian Arabic: IPA: [mæˈħæmːæd], while in exclusively religious contexts, talking about Islam: IPA: [moˈħæmːæd].
The name has one of the highest spelling variants in the world. Other Arabic names from the same root include Mahmud, Ahmed, Hamed, and Hamid.
The name may be abbreviated to Md., Mohd., Muhd.,Mhd., or simply M. because of its utmost meaning, its popularity has meant that it can become hard to distinguish people when there is a multitude with the same name. In some cases it may be to keep a personal name less tied to a religious context. This is only done if the person has a second given name. Some men who have Muhammad (or variant) as a first name choose not to use it, as it is such a common name. Instead they use another given name. For example, Anwar Sadat, Hosni Mubarak, Siad Barre, Zia-ul-Haq, Ayub Khan and Nawaz Sharif use their second given name.
According to the sixth edition of The Columbia Encyclopedia (2000), Muhammad is probably the most common given name [in the world], including variations. It is estimated that more than 150 million men and boys in the world bear the name Muhammad.
According to official statistics, Muhammad was the most popular baby boys' name in four regions of England and Wales in 2013, including in London and the West Midlands. It was also claimed that Muhammad is Britain’s most popular boy’s name, however that is based on combining 14 spelling variations such as Mohammed, but not combining the spelling variants of other popular British names such as Ollie and Olly.
Mohammed and Mohamed were the first most popular baby name in Département Seine-Saint-Denis (2002, 2008) and in Marseilles (2007, 2009), France. Similarly, since 2008 it is the most popular baby boy name in Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium's most Muslim populated cities.
In May 2006, it was reported that statistics indicate that some 8,928 Danish Muslims carry the name Muhammad and that in 2004 alone, 167 new-born babies were registered.
In 2009 Mohamed, the most common spelling variant, was ranked 430th in the US. According to the Social Security Administration, Mohammad was ranked 589th, Mohammed 633rd, and Muhammad the 639th most popular first name for newborns in 2006. In the 1990 United States census, the Muhammad variant of the spelling was ranked 4,194 out of 88,799 for people of all ages.
Mohamad Aziz, Malaysian politicianMohamad Bazzi, Lebanese-American award-winning journalistMohamad Jawad Chirri, American imamMohamad Elzahabi, Lebanese militantMohamad Nor Ismail, Malaysian footballerMohamad Kasebi, Iranian actorMohamad Zbida, Syrian footballerMohamed Abdelaziz (1947–), exiled president of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara) since 1982Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (1962–), Prime Minister of SomaliaMoustafa Ahmed Mohamed Hassan Amar (1966–), Egyptian musician and actorMohamed Amsif (1989–), Moroccan footballerMohamed Anwar el-Sadat (1918–1981), Egyptian politician and President from 1970 to 1981Mohamed Atta (1968–2001), Egyptian Islamist terrorist and ringleader of the hijackers of American Airlines Flight 11 in the September 11 attacksMohamed ElBaradei (1942–), Director General of the United Nations International Atomic Energy AgencyMohamed Siad Barre (1919/1921?–1995), President of Somalia from 1969 to 1991Mohamed Elsayed, Egyptian boxerMohamed Fadl, Egyptian footballerMohamed Farah, British Somali runnerMohamed Fakhir, Moroccan footballerMohamed al-Fayed (1929–), Egyptian-born, British-based multi-millionaireMohamed Fayez, Emirati footballerMohamed Hamri, Moroccan painterMohamed Harbi, Algerian historianMohamed Fouad Abd El Hamid Hassan (1961–), Egyptian musicianMohamed Henedi, Egyptian comedy actorMohamed Ibrahim (disambiguation), several peopleMohamed Jama, Somali kickboxerMohamed Kamal Fadel, Polisario Front diplomaticMohamed Osman Jawari, acting President of Somalia and incumbent Speaker of the Parliament of SomaliaMohamed Osman Mohamud, Somali-born terrorist who nearly set off a bomb in OregonMohamed Mrsal, Libyan basketball playerMohamed Namiz, Sri Lankan cricketerMohamed Nur, Mayor of MogadishuMohamed Ofkir (born 1996), Norwegian footballerMohamed Salama Badi, Sahrawi ambassador to East TimorMohamed Salem, Algerian footballerMohamed al-Shehhi, Emirati footballerMohamed Sissoko, Malian footballerMohamed El-Tabii, Egyptian journalistMohamed El Yaagoubi, Moroccan footballerMohamed Yehia Zakaria (born 1938), Emirati of Egyptian origin pioneer of the beverage industry in the Arab worldMohamed Zidan, Egyptian footballerAskia Mohammad Benkan, ruled the Songhai Empire from 1531 to 1537Askia Mohammad I (c. 1442-1538), king of the Songhai Empire (1493–1528)Mohammad Ahsan, Indonesian badminton playerMohammad Ali Jinnah (1876–1948), born into British India, helped found Pakistan, acting as its Governor-GeneralMohammad Amin Fatemi, Afghan physicianMohammad Asghar (born 1945), Welsh politicianMohammad Ashraful (born 1984), Bangladeshi cricketerMohammad Azharuddin, Former Indian cricket captainMohammad Azizi, Iranian footballerMohammad Bakri, Israeli Arab actorMohammad Barghouti, Palestinian politicianMohammad Dawran, Afghan military personnelMohammad Farid, Egyptian political figureMohammad Hatta, first Vice President of IndonesiaMohammad Hejazi, Iranian generalMohammad Hisham Mahmoud Mohammad Abbas (1963–), Egyptian musicianMohammad Hossein Shahriar (1906–1988), Iranian poet, writing in Persian and AzerbaijaniMohammad Hussain (disambiguation), several peopleMohammad Jasmir Ansari, Indian politicianMohammad Kaif (1980–), Indian cricketerMohammad Khadem, Iranian wrestlerMohammad Khatami (1943–), the President of Iran, 1997 to 2005Mohammad Laeeq, Pakistani cricketerMohammad Mahseiri (died 2013), Jordanian politicianMohammad Mokri, Kurdish scholarMohammad Najib Abdul Razak, Malaysian Prime MinisterMohammad Najibullah (1947–1996), President of Afghanistan from 1987 to 1992. He was assassinated in 1996Mohammad Nami, Saudi footballerMohammad Navazi, Iranian footballerMohammad Nazir, Pakistani cricketerMohammad Oraz, Kurdish mountain climberMohammad Panjali, Iranian footballerMohammad Rafique (born 1970), Bangladeshi cricketerMohammad Reza Sharifinia, Iranian actor and film directorMohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi as the last Shah of IranMohammad Sadli, Indonesian politicianMohammad Saleh (born 1946), second Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Indonesia for judicial affairsMohammad Sidique Khan (1974–2005), English suicide bomber in the 7/7 attacksMohammad Taghi Bahar (1886–1951), Iranian poet, politician, mathematician, logician, journalist, essayist, and historianMohammad Toaha, Bangladeshi politicianMohammad Va'ez Abaee-Khorasani (1940?–2004), Iranian cleric and reformist politicianMohammad Yousuf, Pakistan Test cricketerMohammed Ajeeb, British politicianMohammed Atef, Egyptian al-Qaeda chiefMohammed Awad, Iraqi politicianMohammed El-Bakkar, Lebanese tenorMohammed Dib (1920–2003), probably Algeria's most prolific and well-known writerMohammed Fahim, Former Afghan vice-presidentMohammed Emwazi, ISIL memberMohammed George, British actorSayed Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim (1939–2003), assassinated Iraqi ShiaMohammed Saeed Harib, United Arab Emirati animatorMohammed Hussain, Indian field hockey playerMohammed Abed al-Jabri, Moroccan writerMohammed Al-Kandari, Kuwaiti politicianMohammed Kumalia, Nigerian politicianMohammed bin Laden (1895?–1968), Yemeni immigrant to Saudi Arabia, and wealthy investor, businessman and patriarch of the bin Laden familyMohammed Manga, Senegalese football playerMohammed Al-Marwani, Saudi Arabian basketball playerMohammed VI of Morocco (1963–), King of Morocco from 1999Mohammed Mossadegh (1882–1967), prime minister of Iran from 1951–1953Mohammed Said Nabulsi (1928–2013), Jordanian banker, economist and politicianMohammed Omar (1959–), Afghanistan's Talibani de facto Head of State from 1996–2001Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (1919–1980), the second and last Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 until 1979Mohammed al-Qahtani, Saudi Arabian held at Guantanamo Bay thought to be a 20th hijacker suspectMohammed Rafi (1924–1980), Indian Bollywood playback singerMohammed Al-Salhi, Saudi Arabian middle distance runnerMohammed Adil Shah, Sultan of BijapurMohammed Nadir Shah (1880–1933), King of Afghanistan from 1929 until his assassination in 1933Mohammed Zahir Shah (1914–), the last King of Afghanistan from 1933 to 1973Mohammed Racim, Algerian artistMohammed Sheikh, English cricketerMohammed Timoumi, Moroccan footballerMohammed Haydar Zammar, German al-Qaeda recruiterMuhamad Ali Aman, Southeast Asian politicianMuhamad Salih Dilan, Kurdish PoetMuhamad Radhi Mat Din, Malaysian football assistant coachMuhamad Khalid Jamlus, Malaysian footballerMuhamad Kanan, Israeli Arab politicianMuhamad Aly Rifai, Arab American Internist and PsychiatristMuhamed Alaim, Bosnian football goalkeeperMuhamed Haneef, Indian physicianMuhamed Keita, Norwegian football strikerMuhamed Amin Zaki, Kurdish writerMuhamed Zulić, Croatian politicianMuhammad Ma Jian, Chinese Muslim Confucian and Islamic scholarMuhammad Nur Aziz Wardana, Indonesian basketball playerMuhammad Amin Bughra Emir of the First East Turkestan RepublicMuhammad Ali (1942–2016), American heavyweight boxing championSyed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas (1931–), Malaysian philosopherMuhammad ibn Abu Bakr (631–658), Son of Abu Bakr, raised by AliMuhammad bin Nayef (1959–), Crown Prince of Saudi ArabiaMuhammad al-Baqir 676–743 Shī‘ah ImāmMuhammad Baqir Majlisi a very powerful Iranian Twelver Shi'a cleric, during the Safavid era.Muhammad Ali Bogra (1909–1963), Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1953–1955Muhammad of Ghor (1162–1206), Persian conqueror and sultan between 1171 and 1206Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (1924–1988), ruled Pakistan from 1977 to 1988 under martial lawMuhammad Iqbal (1877–1938), poet born into the British Raj, considered one of the founding fathers of PakistanMuhammad El-Amin (born 1987), American professional basketball playerMuhammad al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya (?–1350), Sunni Islamic scholarMuhammad Naeem Noor Khan, Pakistani al-Qaeda operativeMuhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (~780–~850) Persian mathematicianSultan Muhammad of Khwarezmia (?–1220), last ruler of KhwarezmiaMuhammad al-Mahdi (869–?), Last Twelver Shī‘ah ImāmMuhammad ibn Maslama (589–666)Muhammad Naguib (1901–1984), first President of Egypt, in 1953Muhammad Ali Pasha (1769–1849), viceroy of Egypt, sometimes considered the founder of modern EgyptMuhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri (1947–), Muslim scholar, professor, poet and politicianDwight Muhammad Qawi (1953–), former world boxing championMuhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (865–925), Alchemist, physician, and philosopherJalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207–1273), Persian poet and Sufi mystic from Balkh, now in AfghanistanMuhammad Suheimat, Jordanian military general and a statesmanMuhammad Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan 1990–1999, 2013–PresentMuhammad ibn Talha, son of the prominent Muslim general Talha ibn Ubayd-AllahMuhammad al-Taqi (811–835), Twelver Shī‘ah ImāmMuhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid (882–946), autonomous ruler of Egypt 935–946, founder of the Ikhshidid dynastyMuhammad Rafiq Tarar (1929–), President of Pakistan 1998–2001Muhammad al Warraq (800?–?), 9th Century skeptical scholar and critic of IslamMuhammad Rizvi, Islamic scholar, born in Saran district, BiharMuhammad Yunus (1940–), Nobel Laureate and founder of the Grameen BankMuhammad ibn Zayd (died 900), emir of TabaristanMuhammad Muhammad Taib, Malaysian politicianMuhammad V of Kelantan, Sultan of Kelantan; Deputy King of MalaysiaMuhammad Subhan Qureshi (born 1959), biologist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PakistanMuhammadu Buhari, Military Head of State 1983-1985, Chairman PTF and President of Nigeria since May 29, 2015Muhammad (571–632), the Prophet of IslamMuhammed al-Ahari, American essayistMuhammed Amin Andrabi, Indian academicMuhammed Emin Zeki Bey, Kurdish historianMuhammed Yusuf Khan, Indian military leaderMuhammed Latif, Iraqi major generalMuhammed Mansooruddin, Bengali authorMuhammed Suiçmez (1975–), German musicianMuhammed Taib, Saudi Arabian lawyerMuhammed Tokcan, Turkish hijacker of the Avrasya in 1996Muhammed Hamdi Yazır, Turkish philosopher and theologianMuhammet Akagündüz, Austrian footballerMuhammet Demir, Turkish footballerMuhammet Hanifi Yoldaş, Turkish footballerMuhammet Kızılarslan, Turkish skierMuhammet Özdin, Turkish footballerBinyam Mohamed, Ethiopian detained in Guantanamo Bay between 2004 and 2009Clara Muhammad, born Clara Evans, wife of Nation of Islam leader Elijah MuhammadElijah Muhammad (1897–1975), born Elijah Poole, African American religious leaderGhulam Mohammad (disambiguation), various peopleIdris Muhammad, born Leo Morris, American musicianKhalid Sheikh Mohammed (1964 or 1965–), Confessed mastermind of numerous terror plots, including the September 11 attacks and othersJohn Allen Muhammad, born John Allen Williams, American spree killerAmina Mohamed, Somali lawyer, diplomat and politicianHussein Mohamed, Somali entrepreneurMike Mohamed, American football playerMohd Mohamed, Qatari basketball playerAnisa Mohammed, West Indian cricketerMuhsin Muhammad, American football playerRamzi Mohammed, Somali bomber in the failed 21 July 2005 London bombingsRuby Muhammad, American centenarianShabazz Muhammad (born 1993), American basketball playerUmar Muhammad (born 1975), American football playerPatronymicsAbu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Hazm (?–?), ScholarFatimah bint Muhammad (disputed–632), The Prophet's daughterIbrahim ibn Muhammad (?–?), The Islamic Prophet's sonQasim ibn Muhammad (?–605), The Islamic Prophet's sonZainab bint Muhammad, The Islamic Prophet's daughterRuqayyah bint Muhammad, The Islamic Prophet's daughterUmm Kulthum bint Muhammad, The Islamic Prophet's daughterMahathir Mohamad (born 1925), Malaysian politician; Prime Minister of Malaysia (1981–2003)Muhammad AliMohammad-RezaMohammad Taqi (disambiguation), several people
