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Dictionary of Medieval Names
from European Sources

Muhammad m. Arabic مُحَمَّد 'praised, commendable, laudable'.

The name of the founder of Islam, an 8th C Shia Imam, two 9th C Imams, a 9th C emir of Tabaristan, a 9th C emir of Córdoba, a 9th C emir of Ifriqiya, a 10th C emir of Egypt and Syria, two 11th C emirs of Córdoba, an 11th-12th C shah of Khwarezm, a 12th C sultan of the Ghurid Empire, a 13th C shah of Khwarezm, two 13th C sultans of Granada, four 14th C sultans of Granada, a 14th-15th C sultan of Granada, four 15th C sultans of Granada, a 15th-16th C ruler of the Songhai Empire, and a 16th C ruler of the Songhai Empire.

The name was used by Christians only rarely in the Middle Ages; the only possible example that we have found is one Girardus Mahumet, who was a testator of a charter in Jerusalem in 1115 (CartNDJosaphat, VI). Our 12th C Italian example is the name of a Saracen.

Italy
Latin
1160 Machemet (nom) Livi p. 41
Cite as: S.L. Uckelman. "Muhammad". In S.L. Uckelman, ed. The Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, Edition 2020, no. 1. http://dmnes.org/2020/1/name/Muhammad.