The annual baby name rankings released by the digital pregnancy platform BabyCenter show the continued presence of traditionally Muslim names in the United States, reflecting multi-decade shifts in national demographics and immigration patterns. The newly published data places the name Muhammad at No. 36, marking a decline from its No. 19 position in the previous year’s list.
Despite this recent single-year downward movement, the name’s trajectory over a longer timeframe demonstrates substantial growth. In 2005, Muhammad stood at No. 258 in the platform’s rankings. Measured by frequency rather than numerical rank, the presence of the name among infants registered on the platform increased by 486.5%, shifting from 637 per million in 2005 to 3,736 per million in the latest figures.
The broader upward trend was particularly pronounced during the 2010s. The name advanced from No. 102 in 2012 into the top ten at No. 10 by 2019, with a reported frequency of 3,872 per million. Following that peak, it hovered near the top 15 through 2020 before shifting to No. 29 in 2021 and No. 35 in 2022. A rebound followed, placing the name at No. 16 in both 2023 and 2024, prior to reaching No. 19 in 2025 and moving to No. 36 in the current rankings.
Other culturally significant names have mirrored this long-term pattern. Maryam, a female name associated with Muslim communities, climbed from No. 313 in 2012 to No. 151 in the current rankings. Over the same timeframe, its frequency rose from 544 per million to 1,244 per million.
Demographic research points to a broader foundation for these naming trends. A study published in March by the Center for Immigration Studies indicated that the foreign-born population residing in the United States originating from Muslim-majority countries grew from approximately 1.8 million in 2000 to 4.1 million in 2024, representing an increase of 128%. The share of the total foreign-born population originating from these countries expanded from 3.6% in 1980 to 8.2% in 2024. Furthermore, annual grants of lawful permanent residence to individuals born in these nations rose from 102,365 in fiscal year 2000 to 185,730 in fiscal year 2023.
These multi-year demographic patterns intersect with more recent shifts in federal immigration policy. An analysis released in September by the Cato Institute documented a decline in monthly immigrant visa issuances and refugee admissions for nationals of 45 majority-Muslim countries, dropping from 21,096 in December 2024 to 808 in February 2026, marking a 96% reduction. These government metrics track immigration from nations where Muslims form a majority rather than capturing the religious identification of individual immigrants.
BabyCenter’s dataset relies on proprietary user data gathered through its application, drawing from information submitted by registered parents concerning more than 350,000 babies born during the year. While the platform provides an early snapshot of naming preferences prior to the publication of official annual federal statistics, the data does not constitute a comprehensive registry of all births nationwide and can differ from figures compiled by the Social Security Administration.
