Adam vs Mohammed
Adam and Mohammedcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Adam was ranked #20 and Mohammed #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #35 and Mohammed #21 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Adam was ranked #29 and Mohammed #128 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #38 and Mohammed #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Adam was ranked #42 and Mohammed #117 among boys in Scotland.
Adam and Mohammed over time
Adam and Mohammed appear together in 4 published lists, across 150 years of shared records. Adam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Mohammed in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2004, Mohammed moved ahead of Adam in England and Wales · Boys — #18 and #21 the year before became #24 and #19.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Adam and Mohammed changed places 11 times in Norway · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #29 and #128.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Adam and Mohammed averaged 10.3 places apart, ending at #35 and #21.
- Mirrored each other
Over 38 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Adam rose about as far as Mohammed fell — from #101 and #288 in 1980 to #20 and #468 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Adam and Mohammed were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 73 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #29 and #128.
List by list
Norway · Boys73 shared years, 1952–2025
Adam held the stronger position in 49 of those years, Mohammed in 24.
Highest recorded here: Adam #15 in 2023, Mohammed #102 in 2002.
The order changed in 2003: Adam moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #111 and #102; by 2003 that had become #126 and #155.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #29, Mohammed #128.
Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1980–2025
Adam held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Mohammed in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Mohammed #179 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Adam #20, Mohammed #468.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Mohammed in 21.
Highest recorded here: Adam #16 in 1996, Mohammed #16 in 2008.
The order changed in 2004: Mohammed moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #18 and #21; by 2004 that had become #24 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #35, Mohammed #21.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 1999–2024
Adam held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Mohammed in 0.
Highest recorded here: Adam #3 in 2001, Mohammed #255 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Adam #38, Mohammed #278.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Adam | Mohammed |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally understood as the Hebrew word for 'man', with a wordplay connection in Genesis to 'ground/earth', since Adam is described as formed from earth. | Alternate transcription of the Arabic محمّد, traditionally interpreted as 'praiseworthy, commendable' — the same underlying name as Muhammad, spelled via a different, independently well-established transliteration. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Arabic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈædəm/ | /mu.ˈħam.mad/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Muhammad |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #20 (2025) | Norway · Boys #128 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Adam is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Mohammed is recorded with a Arabic origin.
- Adam has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Mohammed.
- Adam's recorded meaning differs from Mohammed's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Adam a "medium" Data Confidence level and Mohammed a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Adam
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #380 among boys in Norway in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2001 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #72 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Mohammed
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #218 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #128 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys