Arabic

Compiled by Eric J. Boyd

Arabic names are composed of several parts:

The ism - A personal proper name given shortly after birth. The male and female names listed below can all serve as isms. Adults are seldom referred to by these names, and it is an insult to refer to your elders by their ism.

The kunya - An honorific as the father or mother of someone. Consists of Abu (father of) [Name] or Umm (mother of) [Name]. The name inserted is always that of the father or mother’s first born son. Married persons are usually referred to by their kunyas. When writing out a full name, the person’s kunya always precedes their ism.

The nasab - A name showing that you are the son (ibn or sometimes bin) or daughter (bint) of your father or prior generation male relative. When included in a nasab, a kunya is converted to Abi instead of Abu (e.g., Ibn Abi Talib). A nasab follows the ism when listing a person’s full name and generally does not go back more than one or two generations.

The laqab - A religious epithet or descriptive name. Usually one in the form of Abdul (Servant of - male) or Amatul (Servant of -female) followed by one of the 99 names of Allah. Laqabs follow the ism. In some cases, a laqab can serve as an ism for a person, fulfilling its role in their name.

The nisba - A name indicating occupation, tribe of descent, or geographical origin. Generally follows the ism or nasab, if there is one.

Not all of these pieces need to be used in any one person’s name. Mix and match as you see fit for good Arabian flavor.

When a modern Arab person’s name is Westernized to a given name and surname, it is usually an ism and either nasab or nisba that are used.

Examples: Abu Hamzah Mansur Abdul-Latif al-Baghdadi (kunya) (ism) (laqab) (nisba) Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Misri (ism) (nasab) (nisba) Ibn Da’wud al-Sufi (nasab) (nisba) Abu Abdul-Matin Ibn Husayn (kunya w/ laqab ism) (nasab) Umm Fadl Faiza Bint Khalid al-Hashimi (kunya) (ism) (nasab) (nisba)

Male Names (isms or part of kunya or nasab)

Abdullah (Servant of God)
Abdul-Hayy (Servant of the Living)
Abdul-Muhsin (Servant of the Benefactor)
Abdul-Rahman (Servant of the Compassionate)
Ahmad (Most highly adored)
Ali (Noble, sublime)
Amr (By my life)
Baqar (Inevitable, powerful)
Da’wud (David)
Fadl (Reward, favor)
Ghassan (Old Arabic name)
Ghazi (Conqueror)
Habib (Beloved)
Hakim (Brother)
Hamid (Praised)
Hamzah (Lion)
Hashim (Generous)
Hassan (One who beautifies)
Husayn (Beautiful)
Ibrahim (Abraham)
Ihsan (Beneficence)
Imad (Pillar, confidence)
Imran (A prophet’s name)
Inayat (Blessing, favor)
Ishaq (Isaac)
Ismail (Ishmael)
Khalid (Eternal)
Khalil (Beautiful, good friend)
Mahmud (Commendable)
Malik (Master)
Mansur (Divinely aided, victorious)
Marwan (Solid)
Nabil (Noble, generous)
Nashat (Joy)
Nasr (Help, victory)
Rafiq (Kind, friend)
Rashid (Righteous)
Sabir (Patient)
Salim (Secure, free)
Shahid (Witness)
Shakir (Thankful)
Sharif (Honest, noble)
Sulayman (Solomon)
Tahir (Pure, clean)
Talib (Sender of truth, student)
Thabit (Firm, established)
Ubayd (Worshipper)
Umar (Name of the second caliph)
Utbah (Threshold)
Uthman (Name of the third caliph)
Wadi (Calm, peaceful)
Walid (Newborn child)
Wasil (Inseparable friend)
Yahya (John)
Ya’qub (Jacob)
Yazid (Old Arabic name)
Yusuf (Joseph)
Zahir (Bright, shining)
Zayd (In abundance, plentiful)
Zia (Wise)

Female Names (isms)

A’isha (Life vivacious)
Alina (Beautiful)
Aminah (Trustworthy, faithful)
Azizah (Esteemed, precious)
Banujah (The daughter of al-Mahdi)
Bilqis (Name of the Queen of Sheba)
Bushra (Glad tidings)
Chanda (Moonlight)
Dahab (Gold)
Faiza (Gain)
Fatima (Name of a daughter of the Prophet)
Ghaniyah (Beautiful)
Hiba (Gift)
Hafsah (Young lioness)
Halima (Gentle, patient)
Hasinah (Pretty)
Hayfa (Slender)
Hind (India)
Hullah (Old Arabic name)
Izza (Name of a slave girl who was early Muslim)
Jamilah (Beautiful)
Jihan (Heavenly place)
Jumana (Silver pearl)
Kashifah (Revealer of secrets)
Khadijah (Name of first wife of the Prophet)
Khalida (Abiding, forever)
Layla (Of the night)
Labna (Old Arabic name)
Maheera (Expert)
Maira (Moon)
Manhalah (Spring)
Maymuna (Blessed)
Maysun (Beautiful of face and body)
Muna (Water)
Munisa (Gentle, friendly)
Nafisa (Precious gem)
Namyla (Quiet)
Naweed (Good news)
Nuriyah (Light)
Nusayba (One with good lineage)
Qurratul-Ayn (Delight of the eye)
Rabia (Spring)
Ramisa (White rose)
Rana (To gaze)
Razia (Content, satisfied)
Reeha (Air)
Rudaba (Old Arabic name)
Ruqayyah (Name of daughter of the Prophet)
Sabiha (Graceful)
Saadiya (Flower)
Sahla (Easy, convenient)
Sakina (Calm)
Salamah (Soundness, integrity)
Sawda (Name of a wife of the Prophet)
Sharayah (Poetess)
Suraya (Star)
Thana (Thankfulness)
Urshia (One who belongs in the skies)
Zaynab (Name of daughter of the Prophet)
Zubaydah (Name of wife of Caliph Harun Al-Rashid)

Surnamess (nisbas)

al-’Abarta’i
al-Adwani
al-’Attar (The druggist)
al-’Awwaqi
al-Badawi
al-Baghdadi
al-Basri
al-Burjani
al-Darir (The blind)
al-Dimashqi
al-Farabi
al-Ghanawi
al-Hallaj (The cotton dresser)
al-Hamdani
al-Hashimi
al-Hijazi
al-Hindi
al-Ifriqi
al-Isbahani
al-Jaludi
al-Kabir (The elder)
al-Kasrawi
al-Katib (The writer)
al-Khurasani
al-Maghribi
al-Misri
al-Najjar (The carpenter)
al-Nasrani (The Christian)
al-Qayrawani
al-Rahib (The monk)
al-Rashid (The rightly guided)
al-Rumi
al-Saghir (The younger)
al-Shaybani
al-Shirazi
al-Sufi (The mystic)
al-Talaqani
al-Tayyib (The good)
al-Tuluni
al-Wasiti

Surnamess (laqabs - some of the 99 names of Allah)

Al-Rahim - The Most Merciful
Al-Quddus - The Most Holy
As-Salam - Peace and Blessing
Al-Mu’min - The Guarantor
Al-Aziz - The Almighty, the Self Sufficient
Al-Jabbar - The Powerful, the Irresistible
Al-Khaliq - The Creator
Al-Ghaffar - The Ever Forgiving
Ar-Razzaq - The Ever Providing
Al-Fattah - The Opener, the Victory Giver
Al-Alim - The All Knowing, the Omniscient
Al-Mu’izz - The Giver of Honor
Al-Latif - The Subtly Kind
Al-Hafiz - The Preserver
Al-Mujib - The Responsive, the Answerer
Al-Wadud - The Loving, the Kind One
Al-Majid - The All Glorious
Al-Ba’ith - The Raiser of the Dead
Al-Haqq - The Truth, the Real
Al-Wakil - The Trustee, the Dependable
Al-Matin - The Firm, the Steadfast
Al-Waliyy - The Protecting Friend, Patron, and Helper
Al-Mubdi’ - The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of all
Al-Muhyi - The Giver of Life
Al-Mumit - The Bringer of Death, the Destroyer
Al-Hayy - The Ever Living
Al-Majid - The Illustrious, the Magnificent
Al-Wahid - The One, the All Inclusive, the Indivisible
Al-Muqtadir - The All Determiner, the Dominant
Al-Muqaddim - The Expediter, He who brings forward
Al-Awwal - The First
Al-Akhir - The Last
Az-Zahir - The Manifest; the All Victorious
Al-Batin - The Hidden; the All Encompassing
Al-Barr - The Most Kind and Righteous
At-Tawwab - The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting
Al-Muntaqim - The Avenger
Al-Jami’ - The Gatherer, the Unifier
An-Nur - The Light
Al-Hadi - The Guide