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Name Lineage

    The first name Ahmad

    A boy’s name from Arabic meaning “praiseworthy”.

    Pronounced /ˈɑː.mæd/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Arabic origin

    Ahmad means “praiseworthy” in Arabic.

    Borrowed from Arabic أَحْمَد (ʔaḥmad), elative of حَمِيد (ḥamīd, “praiseworthy”); or from Persian اَحْمَد (ahmad).

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 229 boys were named Ahmad, making it the 218th most popular boys’ name.

    0150300 1996200020052010201520202025
    4,150
    babies named Ahmad, 1996–2025
    #218
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ahmad with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Ahmad at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 407 boys born in the United States were named Ahmad, the 669th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2001, when 662 were.

    0350700 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    20,366
    babies named Ahmad since 1880
    #669
    rank in 2025
    2001
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Ahmad

    179 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Ahmad ibn Fadlan
      10th-century Arab traveller and ethnographer, born 879
    • Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Kathīr al-Farghānī
      Abbasid astronomer (c. 800 – 870)
    • Ahmad Shah Bahadur
      13th Mughal Emperor from 1748 to 1754
    • Ahmad Massoud
      Afghan politician and military leader (born 1989)
    • Ahmad Jamal
      American jazz pianist (1930-2023)
    • Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi
      16th century Somali Imam and General of the Adal Sultanate, 1506–1543
    • Ahmad Lahori
      17th century Mughal chief architect, 1580–1649
    • Ahmad Zahir
      Afghan singer (1946-1979)
    • Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tahawi
      Egyptian Islamic jurist and theologian (853–933)
    • Ahmad ibn Zayn al-Din al-Ahsa'i
      Founder of Shaykhí school of Twelver Shiism (1753–1826)
    • Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani
      Emir of Qatar, 1920–1977
    • Ahmad ibn Arabshah
      Arab writer, 1389–1450

    More Arabic boys’ names

    All 218 names of Arabic origin

    Questions

    What does the name Ahmad mean?
    Ahmad means “praiseworthy” in Arabic.
    What is the origin of the name Ahmad?
    Borrowed from Arabic أَحْمَد (ʔaḥmad), elative of حَمِيد (ḥamīd, “praiseworthy”); or from Persian اَحْمَد (ahmad).
    How popular is the name Ahmad?
    In 2025, 229 boys born in England and Wales were named Ahmad, ranking 218th.
    Is Ahmad a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 20,366 US babies named Ahmad since 1880 were boys.
    When was Ahmad most popular?
    2001 in the United States, when 662 babies were named Ahmad, its highest rank at 386th.
    How do you pronounce Ahmad?
    Ahmad is /ˈɑː.mæd/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Ahmad?
    Ahmed and Ahmaud.
    Is Ahmad also a surname?
    Yes. Ahmad is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.