Arabic names
Arabic names are built on a root system where every name traces to a core meaning, virtues like Amir (prince), Nour (light), or Sabr (patience) built right into the sound. Many honor prophets, companions, or qualities parents hope to instill. Poetic and structured, Arabic naming has stayed remarkably consistent across fourteen centuries.
Aaliyah "high, lofty, sublime," feminine form of Aali (Arabic root ʿalā, "to be high")
Abeer fragrance, perfume (a spelling of Abir)
Adnan settler, one who resides
Aisha alive, prosperous
Aishah alive, flourishing (the Quranic spelling of Aisha)
Ali "lofty, sublime" (Arabic root ʿalā, "to be high")
Amal hope
Amir prince, commander
Amira princess, leader
Anwar luminous, brighter, radiant
Ashraf most noble (superlative of Sharif)
Asma "supreme, higher" (Arabic root samā, "to be high")
Aziz powerful, beloved
Aziza powerful, beloved (feminine of Aziz)
Bassam smiling (from basama, 'to smile')
Bilal moisture, freshness
Dalia branch, gentle
Emad pillar, support (a spelling of Imad)
Eman faith, belief (a spelling of Iman)
Faisal resolute, decisive
Farah joy, happiness
Fatima one who abstains, captivating
Hamza "lion" (from the root ḥamuza, "strong, sturdy"); borne by an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad
Hana happiness, bliss
Hani happy, content (from hana'a, 'to gladden')
Hassan handsome, good
Hiba gift (from wahaba, 'to give')
Hisham generous (from the custom of crushing bread to share it)
Hussein small handsome one
Ibrahim father of many nations
Idris studious, interpreter
Iman faith, belief
Jamal beauty
Jana heaven, paradise
Jawad generous, openhanded (from jada, 'to be generous')
Karim generous, noble
Khalid eternal, immortal
Layla night
Lina soft, tender (from the root lāna, "to be soft")
Maha wild oryx, the old emblem of beautiful eyes
Majid glorious (from majada, 'to be glorious')
Malak angel
Malik king
Manal attainment, achievement (from nala, 'to reach')
Mariam form of Maryam and of the Greek Old Testament's Mariam; the root is debated, perhaps Egyptian mry, 'beloved'
Marwa flint pebble; al-Marwa is a sacred hill of Mecca
Marwan flint pebble (masculine form of Marwa)
Maysa walking with pride
Mazen rain clouds (a spelling of Mazin)
Munir luminous, giving light (from nawwara, 'to illuminate')
Nabil noble, highborn
Nader rare, precious (a spelling of Nadir)
Nadia tender, dewy (from nada, 'dew'); a favorite across the Arab world
Najla wide-eyed, dark-eyed beauty
Nasser victorious, helper
Nawal gift
Noor light
Omar flourishing, long-lived
Osama lion (a spelling of Usama)
Randa scented tree
Rania queenly, gazing
Rasha young gazelle
Rashid rightly guided, wise
Rayan gates of paradise, luxuriant
Rima white antelope
Sahar dawn, the hour before sunrise
Salma peaceful, safe
Salwa comfort, solace
Sami elevated, sublime
Samira companion in evening talk
Sana brilliance, radiance
Soraya Pleiades, princess
Sumaya high, lofty (borne by Sumayya, the first martyr of Islam)
Tamer rich in dates (from tamr, the date fruit)
Tariq morning star, one who knocks
Walid newborn (from walada, 'to give birth')
Yara friend, helper (from Persian yār)
Yaseen sacred Quranic name
Yasmin jasmine flower
Yusra ease, prosperity (from yasira, 'to be easy')
Yusuf God will increase
Zahra radiant (the epithet of Fatima, az-Zahra) or blooming flower; two Arabic names share the spelling
Zaid growth, abundance
Zara princess, blooming flower
Zayn beauty, grace
Ziad growth, abundance (a spelling of Ziyad)
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