Elias vs Muhammad
Elias 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, Elias was ranked #79 and Muhammad #1 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Elias was ranked #199 and Muhammad #2 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Elias was ranked #4 and Muhammad #94 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Elias was ranked #35 and Muhammad #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Elias was ranked #185 and Muhammad #35 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Elias was ranked #187 and Muhammad #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Elias and Muhammad over time
Elias and Muhammad appear together in 4 published lists, across 123 years of shared records. Muhammad held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Elias in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elias and Muhammad changed places 4 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 2015 and 2024, ending at #187 and #154.
- Longest-running competitions
Elias and Muhammad were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 63 years, from 1946 to 2025, ending at #4 and #94.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Elias #79 in 2024, Muhammad #1 in 2023.
List by list
Norway · Boys63 shared years, 1946–2025
Elias held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Muhammad in 26.
Highest recorded here: Elias #3 in 2006, Muhammad #70 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elias #4, Muhammad #94.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Elias held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Muhammad in 29.
Highest recorded here: Elias #79 in 2024, Muhammad #1 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elias #79, Muhammad #1.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2002–2025
Elias held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Muhammad in 21.
Highest recorded here: Elias #185 in 2025, Muhammad #35 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elias #185, Muhammad #35.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2015–2024
Elias held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Muhammad in 3.
Highest recorded here: Elias #187 in 2024, Muhammad #154 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elias #187, Muhammad #154.
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 | Elias | Muhammad |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A form of Elijah, commonly interpreted as 'my God is Yahweh'. | Praiseworthy, commendable. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek | Arabic |
| Pronunciation | /ɪˈlaɪəs/ | /muˈħammad/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | 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 | Norway · Boys #4 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Elias is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek origin, while Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin.
- Elias has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Muhammad.
- Elias'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.
- The available evidence gives Elias a "medium" Data Confidence level and Muhammad a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Elias
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #328 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #35 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