Even The Most Popular Baby Names List Is Showing Islam’s Rise In America

The BabyCenter, the world’s leading digital pregnancy aid has dropped its annual name ranking, and —despite a slight decline— Muhammad continues its decades of dominance near the top of the list.

The newly released rankings show Muhammed falling from No. 19 last year to No. 36 this year. Over the longer term, however, the traditionally Muslim name has climbed 222 spots from No. 258 in 2005. The trend is even more dramatic measured by frequency rather than rank: the name’s share of babies on BabyCenter’s list rose 486.5%, from 637 per million in 2005 to 3,736 per million in 2026, according to the Daily Wire’s analysis of BabyCenter data.

The numbers offer a window into changing naming preferences in the United States, where Muslim names have become increasingly visible as immigration from Islamic nations has increased. 

A March study by the Center for Immigration Studies found that the foreign-born population in the United States from Muslim-majority countries grew from approximately 1.8 million in 2000 to 4.1 million in 2024, an increase of 128%. The group’s share of the country’s total foreign-born population climbed from 3.6% in 1980 to 8.2% in 2024. The study also found that annual grants of lawful permanent residence to people born in Muslim-majority countries increased from 102,365 in fiscal year 2000 to 185,730 in fiscal year 2023.

That longer-term growth comes amid a sharp recent reversal in federal immigration policy. A September analysis by the Cato Institute found that monthly immigrant visa issuances and refugee admissions for nationals of 45 majority-Muslim countries fell from 21,096 in December 2024 to 808 in February 2026, a 96% decline. The figures measure immigration from countries where Muslims constitute a majority, not the religious affiliation of every immigrant. 

Muhammad’s rise in the rankings was particularly pronounced between 2012 and 2019. The name moved from No. 102 in 2012 to No. 10 in 2019, when its reported frequency reached 3,872 per million. It remained near the top 15 through 2020, before slipping to No. 29 in 2021 and No. 35 in 2022.

The name rebounded to No. 16 in 2023 and remained there in 2024 before reaching No. 19 in 2025. Its latest drop to No. 36 marks a reversal from last year, though its reported frequency remains well above the level recorded in the early 2010s.

A female name associated with Muslim communities, Maryam, has followed a similar long-term trajectory.

Maryam rose from No. 313 in 2012 to No. 151 in 2026. Its reported frequency increased from 544 per million in 2012 to 1,244 per million this year, even as its ranking fluctuated over the period.

BabyCenter’s rankings are based on proprietary data collected from parents who use its app. The company’s 2026 list draws on information from more than 350,000 babies born to registered users this year, offering an early snapshot of naming trends before the release of official annual federal statistics. The data is not a comprehensive count of all births in the country, and its rankings may differ from those compiled by the Social Security Administration.

More from this network:
Domains for Sale · GOTPeople.org · TheDSAPlatform · The Truth About Socialism

Donate to GOTPeople.org