# Why are so many muslims named Muhammad or Abdullah? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 4, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602 "2010-09-04T17:01:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/1 "2010-09-04T17:01:45Z")
Mahdi reference? Poor imagination? Peer pressure? please enlighten a Kaffir ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/2 "2010-09-04T17:31:03Z")
I’d imagine the same reason many Christians are named Joshua, James, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Paul, and the like. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/3 "2010-09-04T17:32:16Z")
Why are so many Jews named Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David? Why are so many Christians named Matthew, Mark, John, and Paul? I agree, it’s quite a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/4 "2010-09-04T17:37:15Z")
Why are so many Hispanics named Jesus? Why so many Hawaiians named Kimo? So many English named William? It’s just a thing, a trend that has a particular amount of permanence in a given culture. There are lots of reasons why these trends start up and why they stick around. Sometimes those reasons have a religious bent, sometimes they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/5 "2010-09-04T17:46:04Z")
Well, Muhammed was the name of the prophet, so it seems pretty obvious that people would want to name their kids after him. Abdullah means “Slave of God”, and in a hadith, it’s a name that Muhammed suggested as a good name for boys to have. ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/6 "2010-09-04T17:56:23Z")
Yes you can find this phenomenon in other cultures, but NOT on the same scale as in the muslim world. Of course it is a trend. In Britain for example M. is the #2 common name among babies. Question is why is this trend. In the western world, biblical names are not uncommon, probably because they have stood the test of time and permeated into the collective. I doubt however that their christian association plays a big role in parents naming their son Mark for example. This seem to be much bigger thing in the muslim culture. In western world most people give their offspring names that they “like” or maybe a reference to a relative,but aesthetics is the most important factor for most IMHO. So lets say you name your kid Muhammad in reference to the prophet, what does this give you? It feels a bit unimaginative when 9/10 in his class have the same name or some derivate. Or is there some hidden meaning in using this name, does it bring bonus points in the eyes of the almighty or an air of piety? ---
**Author:** ![Oldeb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ea666f/32.png) [@Oldeb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oldeb)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/7 "2010-09-04T18:13:22Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > In the western world, biblical names are not uncommon, probably because they have stood the test of time and permeated into the collective. I doubt however that their christian association plays a big role in parents naming their son Mark for example. This seem to be much bigger thing in the muslim culture. In western world most people give their offspring names that they “like” or maybe a reference to a relative,but aesthetics is the most important factor for most IMHO. The reason that it has “stood the test of time” _is_ because of the Biblical nature of the name. Yes, I’ll agree with you most people aren’t thinking, “Hey, let’s name him after the apostle!” when they choose that name. They’re often naming their child after a relative or friend. Yes, it’s a self-perpetuating thing. Mark is popular so lots of people name their son Mark and since so many people are doing it the name stays popular and so more people use their name and… But you seem to want to ignore the reason it became popular in the first place. > [@](#): > > So lets say you name your kid Muhammad in reference to the prophet, what does this give you? It feels a bit unimaginative when 9/10 in his class have the same name or some derivate. Or is there some hidden meaning in using this name, does it bring bonus points in the eyes of the almighty or an air of piety? :rolleyes: Are you trying to find a reason to justify a belief in Muhammad being a stupid name? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/8 "2010-09-04T19:05:47Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > please enlighten a Kaffir You a Kaffir? Like to committ atrocties against the weak and against the poor and defenceless? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/9 "2010-09-04T19:07:00Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Well, Muhammed was the name of the prophet, so it seems pretty obvious that people would want to name their kids after him. Abdullah means “Slave of God”, and in a hadith, it’s a name that Muhammed suggested as a good name for boys to have. Actually no. Abdullah was his father’s name. His mothers name Amina and brother-in-laws name Ali are also very common. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/10 "2010-09-04T19:16:53Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Yes you can find this phenomenon in other cultures, but NOT on the same scale as in the muslim world. > > Of course it is a trend. In Britain for example M. is the #2 common name among babies. Question is why is this trend. In the western world, biblical names are not uncommon, probably because they have stood the test of time and permeated into the collective. I doubt however that their christian association plays a big role in parents naming their son Mark for example. This seem to be much bigger thing in the muslim culture. In western world most people give their offspring names that they “like” or maybe a reference to a relative,but aesthetics is the most important factor for most IMHO. > > So lets say you name your kid Muhammad in reference to the prophet, what does this give you? It feels a bit unimaginative when 9/10 in his class have the same name or some derivate. Or is there some hidden meaning in using this name, does it bring bonus points in the eyes of the almighty or an air of piety? The name “Muhammad” is analogous to the way the name “Mary” and itd derivitveswas at one time used for girls or is still used in some south American places. “Muhammad” is not a personal name either. It is often the first or middle name. Unlike the western concept of first middle and last name, you have the concept in mant places in the middle east and S Asia of having having multiple names alongside a given name and family name and the full name would be rarely used, a combo of names will be used as the person usual for of address. For example [Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi](http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/42639.html) where the first second and 4th names are not given names as such, and the third is the given name and the last is the family name. The person here is known as “Shahid Afridi”, but it is perfectly possible to be known as Muhammad Shahid, or Shahid Khan as well, if had so chosen. As an other example, sometimes you have Muhammad \. So, [Muhammad Amir](http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/290948.html) is a situation where the person will be known as “Amir” only not Muhammad. Finally, Muhammad’s own given (and perferred name) was not Muhammad, it was Ahmed. Muhammad was given to him by his grandfather when he was eight. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/11 "2010-09-04T19:20:23Z")
It was his father’s name, but there’s also a hadith praising the name. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/12 "2010-09-04T19:29:36Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Yes you can find this phenomenon in other cultures, but NOT on the same scale as in the muslim world. > > Of course it is a trend. In Britain for example M. is the #2 common name among babies. Question is why is this trend. In the western world, biblical names are not uncommon, probably because they have stood the test of time and permeated into the collective. I doubt however that their christian association plays a big role in parents naming their son Mark for example. This seem to be much bigger thing in the muslim culture. In western world most people give their offspring names that they “like” or maybe a reference to a relative,but aesthetics is the most important factor for most IMHO. > > So lets say you name your kid Muhammad in reference to the prophet, what does this give you? It feels a bit unimaginative when 9/10 in his class have the same name or some derivate. Or is there some hidden meaning in using this name, does it bring bonus points in the eyes of the almighty or an air of piety? “M”? I would have thought it was “Q”. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/13 "2010-09-04T19:34:17Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Yes you can find this phenomenon in other cultures, but NOT on the same scale as in the muslim world. You are going to have to produce some reputable comparative statistics before I will accept this. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/14 "2010-09-04T19:38:46Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > > [@scamartistry](#): > > > > please enlighten a Kaffir > > You a Kaffir? Like to committ atrocties against the weak and against the poor and defenceless? [moderating] I’ll wait for **scamartistry** to jump in and say why he picked that particular word and whether you two have some private joke going on, but in the meantime, this is GQ. Tone it down. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/15 "2010-09-04T19:54:24Z")
Really wish a moderator would at least pretend to know what the context is. A "_Kaffir_ is someone who is prone to undertaking acts which are despicable, not as our OP seems to think a non-muslim. Fighting ignorance, my… ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/16 "2010-09-04T20:17:29Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Really wish a moderator would at least pretend to know what the context is. A "_Kaffir_ is someone who is prone to undertaking acts which are despicable, not as our OP seems to think a non-muslim. > > Fighting ignorance, my… According to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_%28racial_term%29) - “The original meaning of the word is ‘heathen’, ‘unbeliever’ or ‘infidel’, from the Arabic ‘kafir’ and is still being used with this meaning by Muslims.” ---
**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/17 "2010-09-04T21:04:08Z")
btw Kaffir is from Arabic kāfir ‘infidel,’ from kafara ‘not believe.’ That is, Im a nonbeliever ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/18 "2010-09-04T21:10:49Z")
Similar to the Hebrew word _kofer_, or “heretic”. (Hebrew and Arabic share a surprisingly large number of roots). ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/19 "2010-09-04T21:16:05Z")
> [@scamartistry](#): > > Yes you can find this phenomenon in other cultures, but NOT on the same scale as in the muslim world. > > Of course it is a trend. In Britain for example M. is the #2 common name among babies. Question is why is this trend. In the western world, biblical names are not uncommon, probably because they have stood the test of time and permeated into the collective. I doubt however that their christian association plays a big role in parents naming their son Mark for example. This seem to be much bigger thing in the muslim culture. You base this assertion on what knowledge of Muslim culture? How many Muslims have you surveyed to find out why they chose to name their children the way they did? What makes you think that Muslims don’t name their kids after relatives just as often as non-Muslims do? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602/20 "2010-09-04T21:46:18Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Similar to the Hebrew word _kofer_, or “heretic”. > > (Hebrew and Arabic share a surprisingly large number of roots). I’m not sure why that would be surprising, since they are in the same language family. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-muslims-named-muhammad-or-abdullah/552602.md?page=2)