Arthur vs Muhammad
Arthur and Muhammadcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #4 and Muhammad #1 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Muhammad #2 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Muhammad #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #19 and Muhammad #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Muhammad #35 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #83 and Muhammad #94 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Muhammad over time
Arthur and Muhammad appear together in 5 published lists, across 157 years of shared records. Muhammad held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Arthur in 2.
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.
Arthur reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Muhammad in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
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 2012, Arthur moved ahead of Muhammad in Northern Ireland · Boys — #293 and #293 the year before became #161 and #311.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Muhammad changed places 12 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2025, ending at #83 and #94.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Arthur and Muhammad averaged 57.7 places apart, ending at #4 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Muhammad were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 73 years, from 1946 to 2025, ending at #83 and #94.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Arthur #14 in 2023, Muhammad #154 in 2024.
List by list
Norway · Boys73 shared years, 1946–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Muhammad in 51.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Muhammad #70 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #83, Muhammad #94.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Muhammad in 21.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Muhammad #35 in 2025.
The order changed in 2023: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #68 and #86; by 2023 that had become #70 and #63.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Muhammad #35.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Muhammad in 25.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Muhammad #1 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Muhammad #1.
Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 2005–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Muhammad in 1.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Muhammad #154 in 2024.
The order changed in 2012: Arthur moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #293 and #293; by 2012 that had become #161 and #311.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Muhammad #154.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 2017–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Muhammad in 4.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #18 in 2024, Muhammad #21 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #19, Muhammad #21.
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 | Arthur | Muhammad |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | Praiseworthy, commendable. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Arabic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /muˈħammad/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | Mohammed, Mohammad, Mehmed |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin.
- Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Muhammad.
- Arthur's recorded meaning differs from Muhammad's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 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: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Muhammad
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #319 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys