BabyCenter’s newly released annual name rankings show that the name Muhammad has climbed 222 spots since 2005, rising from No. 258 to No. 36, even as its rank dipped from No. 19 in 2025. According to an analysis of BabyCenter data by the Daily Wire, the name’s frequency per million babies increased by 486.5% over the same period, from 637 per million in 2005 to 3,736 per million in 2026. The data, drawn from more than 350,000 births to registered users, offers an early snapshot of naming trends that often precede official federal statistics.
The shift in naming preferences coincides with significant changes in U.S. immigration demographics and policy. Data from the Center for Immigration Studies indicates that the foreign-born population from Muslim-majority countries grew from approximately 1.8 million in 2000 to 4.1 million in 2024, a 128% increase. Concurrently, recent federal policy shifts have sharply reduced new immigration from these regions, with the Cato Institute reporting a 96% decline in monthly visa issuances and refugee admissions for nationals of 45 majority-Muslim countries between December 2024 and February 2026.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive commentators and demographic analysts view the sustained rise in names like Muhammad and Maryam as a reflection of America’s increasing religious and cultural diversity. They argue that the long-term upward trend in frequency, despite short-term ranking fluctuations, underscores the growing presence of Muslim communities in the United States.
The Center for Immigration Studies data, which shows Muslim-majority country immigrants making up 8.2% of the total foreign-born population in 2024 compared to 3.6% in 1980, is often cited to support the narrative of a diversifying nation. Advocates emphasize that naming choices are personal cultural expressions that mirror the demographic realities of an integrated society.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative voices focus on the contrast between the rising visibility of Muslim names and the sharp recent reduction in immigration from Muslim-majority nations. The Cato Institute’s finding that visa issuances for these countries fell by 96% in early 2026 is highlighted by critics of recent federal policy as evidence of a restrictive shift.
Some commentators argue that the data illustrates a disconnect between the cultural integration seen in naming trends and the legislative curtailment of new arrivals. The drop in Muhammad’s ranking from No. 19 to No. 36 is noted by some as a potential signal of changing dynamics, though the absolute frequency remains historically high compared to the early 2000s.
What the Numbers Show
According to BabyCenter’s 2026 rankings, the name Muhammad fell from No. 19 in 2025 to No. 36 in 2026. However, its frequency per million births rose from 637 in 2005 to 3,736 in 2026, a 486.5% increase. The name saw a particularly steep rise between 2012 (No. 102) and 2019 (No. 10), before fluctuating in the early 2020s.
The name Maryam also showed a long-term upward trajectory, moving from No. 313 in 2012 to No. 151 in 2026, with its frequency increasing from 544 to 1,244 per million. Separately, the Center for Immigration Studies reported that lawful permanent residence grants to people from Muslim-majority countries increased from 102,365 in FY 2000 to 185,730 in FY 2023.
Meanwhile, the Cato Institute noted that monthly immigrant visa issuances and refugee admissions for nationals of 45 majority-Muslim countries dropped from 21,096 in December 2024 to 808 in February 2026.
The Bottom Line
The BabyCenter data provides a proprietary, non-census view of cultural trends that often leads federal statistics. While the ranking of Muhammad has declined recently, the absolute frequency remains significantly higher than in the early 2000s, suggesting an entrenched presence of the name in American birth records.
The divergence between the long-term growth in the name’s usage and the recent sharp decline in immigration from Muslim-majority countries highlights the lag between policy changes and their demographic impact on second-generation naming conventions. Future updates from the Social Security Administration will provide a more comprehensive national count, while continued monitoring of visa issuance data will indicate whether the recent immigration slowdown begins to alter the trajectory of these naming trends in the coming years.