Muhammad

What does Muhammad mean?

Muhammad means ‘praised’ or ‘commendable’ in Arabic. Wiktionary connects it with an intensive form of the verb ‘to praise’, from the same root found in Ahmed and Hamid. It records the Prophet Muhammad, the given name and the Quranic sura bearing it. Urdu received the name through Persian. The praise meaning is directly documented, while its association with the Prophet gives it a central religious significance.

Source: Wiktionary, محمد. How we use sources.

Spelling and pronunciation

محمد is read mu-ham-mad; मुहम्मद is a Devanagari rendering. Mohammed, Mohammad and Mohamed are alternative Roman spellings. The doubled m is held slightly longer in Arabic and Urdu. Arabic ḥ is made deeper in the throat than English h, with pronunciation varying across languages.

Also spelled Mohammed, Mohammad, Mohamed.

Muhammad in tradition and story

The name belongs to the Prophet of Islam and titles the forty-seventh sura of the Quran. In South Asian naming it may appear before another name used in daily life. Historical bearers include the poet Muhammad Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.