Namewise

Muhammad vs William

Muhammad and Williamcompared 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 William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Muhammad was ranked #2 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #94 and William #3 among boys in Norway.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #21 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Muhammad was ranked #35 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Muhammad was ranked #154 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Muhammad and William over time

Muhammad and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Muhammad in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

William 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 2016, Muhammad moved ahead of William in England and Wales · Boys — #12 and #8 the year before became #8 and #11.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Muhammad and William changed places 14 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2025, ending at #94 and #3.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Muhammad and William averaged 31.6 places apart, ending at #1 and #25.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Muhammad and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1 and #25.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys77 shared years, 1946–2025

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 22 of those years, William in 55.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #70 in 2023, William #1 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #94, William #3.

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

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #35 in 2025, William #29 in 1992.

    The order changed in 2023: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #86 and #67; by 2023 that had become #63 and #66.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #35, William #73.

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

    Muhammad held the stronger position in 10 of those years, William in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #1 in 2023, William #7 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2016: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #12 and #8; by 2016 that had become #8 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #1, William #25.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2003–2024

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

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #154 in 2024, William #32 in 2005.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Muhammad #154, William #64.

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

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

    Highest recorded here: Muhammad #21 in 2025, William #1 in 2012.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Muhammad #21, William #11.

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 William

Pairs where William 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 — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

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

Norway 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, William
FieldMuhammadWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningPraiseworthy, commendable.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginArabicGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/muˈħammad//ˈwɪljəm/
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)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Muhammad has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for William.
  • Muhammad's recorded meaning differs from William'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 William 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

William

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #277 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 recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys