# How do people get away with being named "Muhammed"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 21, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245 "2010-05-21T13:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245/21 "2010-05-21T15:55:07Z")
From what I understand, in those cultures where it’s common to name boys “Jesus”, the big guy is not actually referred to as just “Jesus”, but always “Jesuchristo” (which a kid would not be named). ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245/22 "2010-05-21T16:02:26Z")
> [@Floater](#): > > Most certainly. The king of Sweden once had a dog named Ali, which caused much uproar among muslims, so it was promptly renamed. I am aware that dogs are considered unclean, but I think it would have been the same if it had been some other kind of animal. I raise [Saluki](http://www.akc.org/breeds/saluki/history.cfm) which, being an 'Arabian" dog, are often given Arabic names. A book on the history of the breed would elide some of the names from thirty or forty years ago to “M--------” explaining that they were given names that would be considered offensive today without spelling out what it might have been. Dogs in general are considered unclean. Salukis are special, but even so, I can see how it would be offensive. There is a big difference between being offended and death threats, though. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245/23 "2010-05-21T17:19:45Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > …There is a big difference between being offended and death threats, though. Not for far too many Islamic radicals, alas. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245/24 "2010-05-21T17:41:48Z")
I had always heard that every male child was given the surname of Mohammad (which is why it’s the most common surname), it’s just that most of them tend to go by their middle names or such. Not really sure if there’s truth to that or not, though I will say, I do know 4 brothers, all named Mohammad , but none of them use it, they all have their own names and even their mother and father call them by their middle names. Don’t know if it’s a regional thing though (they’re from Afghanistan). Then gain, I also know 3-4 other guys who are also Muslim and have Mohammad as their first name, but they never mention it or go by it. It’s just on their IDs as M. or such. That’s why I automatically assume everyone just has the name somewhere in there, just many choose not to go by it, because it’s just a formality or something. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245/25 "2010-05-21T17:50:58Z")
Most Christians would not be thrilled by someone having a dog named “Jesus” either (although there would not likely be threats of violence). ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245/26 "2010-05-21T17:52:40Z")
Religions have arbitrary rules that often do not follow logic, or at least logic that’s still valid today. For example, Jews/Muslims eating beef but pork. If there were good reasons for this in the past, like increased chance of parasites, it’s no longer the case. The culture that thought up the “do not draw a picture of Muhammed but it’s OK to name your kid after him” may have had good reasons (or at least less ridiculous) that made more sense back then. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245/27 "2010-05-21T18:07:00Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Joshua is the English transliteration of Jesus’ name (Y’shua). There are plenty of Joshuas around. A lot of Joshuas are Jewish though. And considering you’ll often find a Christian Joshua in a house with other OT names, and they pray to “Jesus” and not “Joshua”, I don’t think they were going for the Messiah as the namesake either. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-get-away-with-being-named-muhammed/540245.md?page=1)