| Ahmad | Hamza | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | most praiseworthy | lion; strong, steadfast |
| Origin | arabic | arabic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AH-mad | HAM-za |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1950 | 0 |
| Peak year | 2001 (662) | 2024 (565) |
| In 2025 | 407 | 0 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Ahmad | Hamza |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,462 | 2,935 |
| 2010s | 4,713 | 3,928 |
| 2000s | 5,387 | 2,694 |
| 1990s | 3,923 | 863 |
| 1980s | 2,314 | 143 |
| 1970s | 1,287 | 10 |
| 1960s | 205 | 0 |
| 1950s | 57 | 0 |
From the root h-m-d (ح-م-د, 'to praise'), a superlative meaning 'most praiseworthy, most commendable'. It shares its root with the name Muhammad and is itself cited as one of the names of the Prophet. Also spelled Ahmed.
Commonly understood as 'lion', and also 'strong, steadfast'. Linked to the root h-m-z and to a plant with a sharp, pungent taste. Borne by Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle, called 'Lion of God'.
Ahmad is more popular than Hamza today: about 407 US babies were given the name Ahmad in 2025, compared with 0 named Hamza.
Ahmad means most praiseworthy (arabic origin), while Hamza means lion; strong, steadfast (arabic origin).
In US records, Ahmad first appears in 1950 and Hamza in 0, so Hamza has the longer recorded history.