Isaac vs Muhammad
Isaac 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, Isaac was ranked #37 and Muhammad #1 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Isaac was ranked #49 and Muhammad #2 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Isaac was ranked #26 and Muhammad #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Isaac was ranked #26 and Muhammad #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Isaac was ranked #104 and Muhammad #35 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Isaac was ranked #251 and Muhammad #94 among boys in Norway.
Isaac and Muhammad over time
Isaac and Muhammad appear together in 5 published lists, across 132 years of shared records. Isaac held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Muhammad in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Isaac 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 2001, Muhammad moved ahead of Isaac in England and Wales · Boys — #66 and #69 the year before became #75 and #69.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Isaac and Muhammad changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1992 and 2025, ending at #104 and #35.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Isaac and Muhammad averaged 10.4 places apart, ending at #37 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Isaac and Muhammad were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 41 years, from 1974 to 2025, ending at #251 and #94.
List by list
Norway · Boys41 shared years, 1974–2025
Isaac held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Muhammad in 41.
Highest recorded here: Isaac #164 in 2014, Muhammad #70 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isaac #251, Muhammad #94.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025
Isaac held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Muhammad in 8.
Highest recorded here: Isaac #77 in 2014, Muhammad #35 in 2025.
The order changed in 2022: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #87 and #109; by 2022 that had become #100 and #86.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isaac #104, Muhammad #35.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Isaac held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Muhammad in 25.
Highest recorded here: Isaac #20 in 2015, Muhammad #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2001: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #66 and #69; by 2001 that had become #75 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isaac #37, Muhammad #1.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2003–2024
Isaac held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Muhammad in 0.
Highest recorded here: Isaac #20 in 2020, Muhammad #154 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Isaac #26, Muhammad #154.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Isaac held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Muhammad in 1.
Highest recorded here: Isaac #8 in 2015, Muhammad #21 in 2025.
The order changed in 2025: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #19 and #24; by 2025 that had become #26 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Isaac #26, 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 | Isaac | Muhammad |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally understood as 'he will laugh' or 'he laughs', tied to the biblical narrative in which Abraham and Sarah laugh at the prophecy of Isaac's birth in their old age. | Praiseworthy, commendable. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac | Arabic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈaɪzək/ | /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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #26 (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
- Isaac is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, transmitted into English via Greek Isaak and Late Latin Isaac origin, while Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin.
- Isaac has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Muhammad.
- Isaac'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 Isaac 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
Isaac
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1990–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2015 (recorded 1990–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #26 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