Ahmad

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Ahmad

Gender: Masculine
Language: Arabic
Etymology:
Ahmad is an Arabic name meaning “More Commendable” from the phrase “hamida” (to praise).

History:
Ahmad is one of the most popular names in Muslim world, one belonging to the influential theologian Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780-855), as well as Egyptian nationalist Ahmad Urabi (1839-1911).

The name Ahmad first appeared in the United States in the 1970s, a time of the Black Muslim movement and increased Muslim immigration.

Pronunciation: ah-mad.

Alternates: Ahmed, Ahmet.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Ahmad Jamal (1930-)
American jazz pianist.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780-855)
Muslim theologian.
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817-1898)
Indian Muslim educator.

Political Figures:
Ahmad Urabi (Urabi Pasha) (1839-1911)
Egyptian leader.
Ahmed Bej Zogu (King Zog I) (1895-1961)
President and later King of Albania
Ahmed Hasan al-Bakr (1914-1982)
Iraqi president.
Ahmed Ben Bella (1919-)
Algerian statesman.
Ahmed Sékousa Touré (1922-1984)
President of Guinea.
Ahmed Zaki Yamini (1930-)
Saudi statesman.

Royalty:
Ahmed I (1589-1617)
Ottoman sultan.
Ahmad al-Mansur (-1603)
Emir of Morocco.
Ahmed II (1642-1695)
Ottoman sultan.
Ahmed III (1673-1736)
Ottoman sultan.
Ahmad Shah (1723-1773)
Afghan ruler.
Ahmad Mirza (1898-1930)
Shah of Persia.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.006 % of males forenamed Ahmad
0.005 % of males forenamed Ahmed

Popularity of Ahmad:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1880-1973: N/A
1974: 767th most popular.
1975: 711th most popular.
1976: 756th most popular.
1977: 586th most popular.
1978: 593rd most popular.
1979: 493rd most popular.
1980: 564th most popular.
1981: 545th most popular.
1982: 601st most popular.
1983: 651st most popular.
1984: 684th most popular.
1985: 644th most popular.
1986: 567th most popular.
1987: 546th most popular.
1988: 617th most popular.
1989: 545th most popular.
1990: 492nd most popular.
1991: 569th most popular.
1992: 540th most popular.
1993: 531st most popular.
1994: 499th most popular.
1995: 518th most popular.
1996: 492nd most popular.
1997: 502nd most popular.
1998: 404th most popular.
1999: 425th most popular.
2000: 448th most popular.
2001: 388th most popular.
2002: 406th most popular.
2003: 464th most popular.
2004: 486th most popular.

Popularity of Ahmed:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1970-1973: N/A
1974: 934th most popular.
1975: N/A
1976: 965th most popular.
1977: N/A
1978: 925th most popular.
1979: 893rd most popular.
1980: 911th most popular.
1981: 873rd most popular.
1982: 776th most popular.
1983: 807th most popular.
1984: 746th most popular.
1985: 843rd most popular.
1986: 789th most popular.
1987: 812th most popular.
1988: 687th most popular.
1989: 727th most popular.
1990: 507th most popular.
1991: 560th most popular.
1992: 553rd most popular.
1993: 514th most popular.
1994: 517th most popular.
1995: 536th most popular.
1996: 491st most popular.
1997: 517th most popular.
1998: 15th most popular.
1999: 509th most popular.
2000: 479th most popular.
2001: 490th most popular.
2002: 498th most popular.
2003: 530th most popular.
2004: 526th most popular.

Selected Sources:
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990.
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999.

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)