Did you know that the most common and popular first name given to newborn boys in the German capital Berlin in 2018 was Mohammed, according to a census derived from 700 birth registration offices across the country? Similarly in the UK, by the end of 2018 the Office of National Statistics (ONS) announced that the Islamic name of the Prophet topped rankings in London and the West Midlands, surpassing other popular names such as Oliver, Harry, George, Noah and Jack. It needs however to be clarified that this British statistic only applies when all different spellings of Mohammed – Muhammad being the most common – are included in the data. Otherwise, Oliver has consistently come ahead of the Prophet’s name in the English-speaking country, holding its position as the most popular boy’s name since 2013, according to the ONS. To clarify, spelling variations of the number one Arabic-Islamic name include Muhammad, Mohammed, Mohammad, Muhammed, Mohamed, Mohamad, Muhamad and several others. Across the Arab world it comes as no surprise that Mohammed in its multiple renditions is by far the most widespread and popular name given to newborn males and alive…
On the Popularity of ‘Mohammed’ and Other Arabic Naming Conventions
July 10, 2019
