Namewise

Mohammed vs Rudolf

Mohammed and Rudolfcompared 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 2023, Mohammed was ranked #28 and Rudolf #3523 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 1977, Mohammed was ranked #182 and Rudolf #562 among boys in Norway.

Mohammed and Rudolf over time

Mohammed and Rudolf appear together in 2 published lists, across 38 years of shared records. Mohammed held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rudolf in 0.

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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys24 shared years, 19451977

    Mohammed held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Rudolf in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Mohammed #167 in 1966, Rudolf #220 in 1945.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1977: Mohammed #182, Rudolf #562.

  • England and Wales · Boys14 shared years, 20042023

    Mohammed held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Rudolf in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Mohammed #16 in 2008, Rudolf #3011 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Mohammed #28, Rudolf #3523.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Mohammed, Rudolf
FieldMohammedRudolf
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAlternate transcription of the Arabic محمّد, traditionally interpreted as 'praiseworthy, commendable' — the same underlying name as Muhammad, spelled via a different, independently well-established transliteration.Not yet recorded
OriginArabicNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/mu.ˈħam.mad/Not yet recorded
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesMuhammadNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOGB-ENW, NO
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #128 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #3523 (2023)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/10060/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Mohammed has a recorded origin (Arabic); Rudolf does not have one recorded yet.
  • Mohammed has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Rudolf.
  • A meaning is recorded for Mohammed; Rudolf doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Mohammed a "high" Data Confidence level and Rudolf a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Mohammed

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2024

    Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #128 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys

Rudolf

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #220 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–1977

    Highest recorded position: #220 among boys in Norway, in 1945 (recorded 1945–1977).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2023

    Most recently recorded at #3523 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.

    England and Wales · Boys