Mahomet is an archaic transcription of Muhammad, based on the usual Latin spelling Mahometus. It was the predominant English form of the name from the Middle Ages until the late 18th century, when it was gradually replaced by Mohammed and then Muhammad.
Etymology and History
The name Mahomet entered English from Old French, which derived it from Latin Machometus or Mahometus, ultimately from Arabic Muḥammad. The root of the Arabic name is حمد (ḥamida), meaning "to praise," thus Muhammad translates to "praised" or "commendable." This is the name of the prophet of Islam, considered by Muslims to be the final messenger of God. According to Islamic tradition, at age 40 the prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from the angel Gabriel, which became the foundation of the Quran. After years of persecution in Mecca, he conquered the city around 630 CE and died two years later, having united much of the Arabian Peninsula under Islam.
Usage and Variants
Since the prophet's time, the name has been one of the most popular in the Muslim world, spawning numerous variants across different languages and cultures. In French, the form Mahomet persists; Turkish uses Mehmet, Albanian Muhamet, Uzbek Muhammad, Malay Muhamad, Azerbaijani Məhəmməd, and Dargin Mahammad, among others. The English spelling Mahomet is now considered archaic except in historical or religious contexts, but it appears in older English literature such as the works of Shakespeare.
Notable Bearers
While the historical figure primarily associated with Mahomet is the prophet, the broader name Muhammad has been borne by many notable individuals. These include several Abbasid caliphs and six sultans of the Ottoman Empire (often rendered as Mehmet in Turkish), the 9th-century mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (who developed algebra), the philosopher Averroes (Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd), the poet Rumi (Jalal ad-Din Muhammad), and the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The American boxer Muhammad Ali, originally named Cassius Clay, also famously adopted the name as a member of the Nation of Islam.
- Meaning: "praised, commendable" (from Arabic root ḥamida)
- Origin: Arabic, Latinized as Mahometus
- Gender: Male
- Usage: Primarily archaic English and historical French; common variant of Muhammad across the Muslim world
Other Languages & Cultures
Sources: Wiktionary — Mahomet