Namewise

Muhammad vs Oscar

Muhammad and Oscarcompared 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 2025, Muhammad was ranked #1 and Oscar #8 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Muhammad was ranked #2 and Oscar #22 among boys in Scotland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #21 and Oscar #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #35 and Oscar #31 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Muhammad was ranked #154 and Oscar #34 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #94 and Oscar #51 among boys in Norway.

Muhammad and Oscar over time

Muhammad and Oscar appear together in 5 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Oscar held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Muhammad in 1.

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.

Oscar reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 1994, Oscar moved ahead of Muhammad in Norway · Boys — #152 and #217 the year before became #238 and #156.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Muhammad and Oscar changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #1 and #8.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Muhammad and Oscar averaged 7.0 places apart, ending at #1 and #8.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Muhammad and Oscar were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1 and #8.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Muhammad #21 in 2025, Oscar #17 in 2025.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys71 shared years, 1946–2025

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Oscar in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #70 in 2023, Oscar #35 in 2013.

    The order changed in 1994: Oscar moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #152 and #217; by 1994 that had become #238 and #156.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #94, Oscar #51.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Oscar in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #35 in 2025, Oscar #30 in 2021.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #35, Oscar #31.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Oscar in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #1 in 2023, Oscar #7 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #1, Oscar #8.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2003–2024

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oscar in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #154 in 2024, Oscar #25 in 2023.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Muhammad #154, Oscar #34.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys14 shared years, 2012–2025

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Oscar in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #21 in 2025, Oscar #17 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #21, Oscar #17.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Muhammad

Pairs where Muhammad shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Oscar

Pairs where Oscar shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Muhammad, Oscar
FieldMuhammadOscar
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningPraiseworthy, commendable.Possibly 'deer friend' (Irish), or possibly derived from an Old English/Old Norse name meaning 'god spear' — the origin is genuinely disputed.
OriginArabicDisputed — possibly Irish, possibly Old English/Old Norse
Pronunciation/muˈħammad//ˈɑskər/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesMohammed, Mohammad, MehmedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #1 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #8 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin, while Oscar is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Irish, possibly Old English/Old Norse origin.
  • Muhammad has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Oscar.
  • Muhammad's recorded meaning differs from Oscar'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 Muhammad a "high" Data Confidence level and Oscar a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Muhammad

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Oscar

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #263 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 recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #8 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys