John vs Muhammed
John and Muhammedcompared 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 2024, John was ranked #29 and Muhammed #785 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, John was ranked #70 and Muhammed #418 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #78 and Muhammed #330 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, John was ranked #164 and Muhammed #130 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, John was ranked #161 and Muhammed #323 among boys in Norway.
John and Muhammed over time
John and Muhammed appear together in 3 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. John held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Muhammed in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Muhammed 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 2022, Muhammed moved ahead of John in England and Wales · Boys — #154 and #156 the year before became #150 and #138.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
John and Muhammed changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #164 and #130.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, John and Muhammed averaged 46.7 places apart, ending at #164 and #130.
- Longest-running competitions
John and Muhammed were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 46 years, from 1974 to 2025, ending at #161 and #323.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — John #14 in 2000, Muhammed #347 in 2000.
List by list
Norway · Boys46 shared years, 1974–2025
John held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Muhammed in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #28 in 1983, Muhammed #233 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: John #161, Muhammed #323.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
John held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Muhammed in 5.
Highest recorded here: John #46 in 1996, Muhammed #108 in 2013.
The order changed in 2022: Muhammed moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #154 and #156; by 2022 that had become #150 and #138.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #164, Muhammed #130.
Republic of Ireland · Boys14 shared years, 2000–2024
John held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Muhammed in 0.
Highest recorded here: John #14 in 2000, Muhammed #347 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: John #29, Muhammed #785.
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 | John | Muhammed |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjɔn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #29 (2025) | Norway · Boys #323 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- John has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Muhammed does not have one recorded yet.
- John has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Muhammed.
- A meaning is recorded for John; Muhammed doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
John
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Muhammed
Popularity journey
First recorded1974
First recorded at #626 among boys in Norway in 1974 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #108 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #323 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys