Mohammad remains most popular name for boys

AMMAN — Mohammad continues to be the most popular name in Jordan, topping the list of common names for boys in the past several years, according to official figures. 

In the last three years alone, over 31,000 newborns were named Mohammad, according to the Department of Statistics (DoS) and the Civil Status and Passports Department (CSPD). 

Ahmad, another name for Prophet Mohammad, came second to the list of popular names for the past three years with 14,789 counts, followed by Omar, 10,640. 

In addition to those three, the list of the 10 most popular names for boys in 2015 also included Yousef, Ameer, Abdul Rahman, Rayan, Kareem and Adam. 

Joud, which means generosity, was the most popular name for girls in Jordan in 2014 and 2015, with 4,863 counts.

Last year, the name Jouri (damask rose) came second with 2,467 girls, followed by Jana (2,310), Layan (2,014), Sarah (1,892) and Leen(1,834).

The name Mohammad is not only popular in Jordan and Muslim countries, as British media reports have cited official data that revealed the name was also popular in the UK, ranking 14th with 3,588 counts. 

In 2013, data showed that it is also the most common name for men in Oslo, Norway’s capital, according to news reports, with more than 4,800 men and boys in the city called Mohammad. 

Mohammad is believed to be the most popular name in the world, with an estimated 150 million men and boys bearing the name, according to web sources.

CSPD Spokesperson Malek Khasawneh noted that there are no particular names that are banned in Jordan, except for those that hold “negative or socially unacceptable meanings”. 

Last year, the Court of First Instance decided to change the name of a girl over its negative connotations.  

The name of the child, who was born in 2011, was changed from “Ajayeb”, which has a negative meaning related to whatever is strange and weird, to “Rahmeh” (mercy) after her mother filed a lawsuit. 

The father of the child was angry when the girl was born for being the fifth female born to the family, and he had wanted a boy.

The Ifta Department said at the time that it is “preferred in Islam that the parent choose a good name for the child”, citing a saying by Prophet Mohammad in which he called on parents to choose good names for their children.

Article 14 of the Civil Status Law stipulates that the mother or the father of a newborn is the one responsible for reporting the birth and naming the baby.