Last Updated on December 5, 2019
The name Muhammad–including its many spelling variations–has broken the top 10 baby name list ranking for the first time in the US.
BabyCenter’s list of 100 most popular baby names for girls and boys in America found that Sophia is still at the top for girls while Liam is the No.1 boy’s name.
According to BabyCenter:
Muhammad is one of the most popular names in the world and has been a steady climber in our top names lists over the years. While non-Muslim families have a seemingly limitless range of possible names to choose from, tradition is still very important for Muslim families, including the custom of naming a son after the Prophet. In fact, the name is so popular that many Muhammads shorten their name to Md., Mohd., or Muhd. and go by a less common name.
BabyCenter also found that names of an Arabic origin are on the rise this year. Muhammad and Aaliyah entered the top 10 and leapfrogging Mason and Layla in the rankings.
In the previous two years, Muhammad came in at 14th on BabyCenter’s list–with a 29% jump in popularity this year.
The name “Muhammad” is the most popular boy’s name in the world–including any spelling variations.
In the UK–which boasts a large Islamic community in many major towns and cities across the country–Muhammad is the most popular boys name for newborns across many areas.
According to BabyCenter’s global editor-in-chief, Linda Murray: “Muslim families often choose Muhammad for firstborn sons to honor the prophet and bring blessings to the child.
“The name also has multiple spellings, and that helps a name get into the top 10.”
The Sun writes:
Muhammad means “praised, commendable” in Arabic, while Aaliyah translates as “exalted,” or “rising” in Hebrew.
Although politically incorrect to point out, many non-mainstream commentators link the crescent popularity of the name “Muhammad” with mass immigration, disparate birth rates, and demographic changes on a Western and Global scale.