Muhammad vs Noah
Muhammad and Noahcompared 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, Muhammad was ranked #1 and Noah #2 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #21 and Noah #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #94 and Noah #1 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Muhammad was ranked #2 and Noah #1 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Muhammad was ranked #154 and Noah #3 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #35 and Noah #3 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Muhammad and Noah over time
Muhammad and Noah appear together in 5 published lists, across 121 years of shared records. Noah held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Muhammad 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.
Noah 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Muhammad and Noah changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #1 and #2.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Muhammad and Noah averaged 21.4 places apart, ending at #1 and #2.
- Longest-running competitions
Muhammad and Noah were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 33 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #94 and #1.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Muhammad #1 in 2023, Noah #1 in 2021.
List by list
Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1990–2025
Muhammad held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Noah in 27.
Highest recorded here: Muhammad #70 in 2023, Noah #1 in 2021.
The order changed in 1999: Noah moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #242 and #345; by 1999 that had become #243 and #227.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #94, Noah #1.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Muhammad held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Noah in 28.
Highest recorded here: Muhammad #35 in 2025, Noah #2 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #35, Noah #3.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Muhammad held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Noah in 15.
Highest recorded here: Muhammad #1 in 2023, Noah #1 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Muhammad #1, Noah #2.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2003–2024
Muhammad held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Noah in 15.
Highest recorded here: Muhammad #154 in 2024, Noah #1 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Muhammad #154, Noah #3.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025
Muhammad held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Noah in 14.
Highest recorded here: Muhammad #21 in 2025, Noah #1 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #21, Noah #1.
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 | Muhammad | Noah |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Praiseworthy, commendable. | Commonly interpreted as 'rest' or 'comfort'. |
| Origin | Arabic | Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /muˈħammad/ | /ˈnoʊə/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Mohammed, Mohammad, Mehmed | Noa, Noé |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #21 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin, while Noah is recorded with a Hebrew origin.
- Muhammad has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Noah.
- Muhammad's recorded meaning differs from Noah'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
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
Noah
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #640 among boys in Norway in 1990 — 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 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys