Arabic Names
Arabic is spoken by hundreds of millions of people, and its names travel even further — through Islam, trade and centuries of poetry, they are used from Indonesia to Nigeria. Most Arabic names grow from a three-consonant root and describe a quality, which is why meanings like “generous,” “light” or “patient” are so easy to trace. Here are 70+ of our favorite Arabic names, plus a quick guide to how a traditional full name is put together.
For bigger lists, go straight to Arabic boy names, Arabic girl names or Arabic last names. Families looking for faith-based choices can also browse our Muslim names.
Arabic Names: browse all lists
How a traditional Arabic name works
A classical Arabic full name can have five parts. Modern passports usually keep only the first name, the father’s name and a family name, but the older elements still shape surnames and nicknames today.
| Part | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ism | The personal given name | Ahmad |
| Nasab | Lineage: “son of” (ibn) or “daughter of” (bint) the father | ibn Hanbal |
| Kunya | Honorific “father of” (Abu) or “mother of” (Umm) the eldest child | Abu Abdullah |
| Laqab | Epithet or title describing the person | al-Rashid (“the rightly guided”) |
| Nisba | Origin: tribe, city or profession, ending in -i | al-Baghdadi |
Top Arabic boy names
A sample of the boys’ names families choose most. The full list of Arabic boy names includes prophets’ names and Abd- compounds.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Omar | OH-mar | Long-lived, flourishing |
| Youssef | YOO-sef | God increases |
| Zayd | ZAYD | Growth, abundance |
| Karim | ka-REEM | Generous, noble |
| Idris | id-REES | A prophet; possibly “studious” |
| Rayan | rai-YAN | Lush, well-watered |
| Khalid | KHAH-lid | Eternal; Khalid ibn al-Walid was a famed general |
| Tariq | TAH-rik | Morning star; Gibraltar is named for Tariq ibn Ziyad |
| Hamza | HAM-za | Steadfast |
| Ilyas | il-YAS | Arabic form of Elijah |
| Faris | FAH-ris | Knight |
| Nabil | na-BEEL | Noble |
| Samir | sa-MEER | Companion in evening talk |
| Amir | a-MEER | Prince, commander |
| Bilal | bi-LAL | Freshness, moisture |
Top Arabic girl names
Lyrical favorites for daughters; many more are in our Arabic girl names list.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Layla | LAY-la | Night |
| Amira | a-MEE-ra | Princess |
| Yasmin | yas-MEEN | Jasmine |
| Salma | SAL-ma | Safe, peaceful |
| Maryam | MAR-yam | Arabic form of Mary |
| Zainab | ZAY-nab | Fragrant tree |
| Hana | HA-na | Happiness |
| Lina | LEE-na | Tender palm tree |
| Reem | REEM | White gazelle |
| Farah | FA-rah | Joy |
| Aaliyah | AH-lee-ya | Exalted |
| Malak | MA-lak | Angel |
| Yara | YA-ra | Small butterfly |
| Dalia | DAH-lee-a | Grapevine |
| Rania | RAH-nee-a | Gazing, queenly |
Unisex Arabic names
Arabic grammar marks most names as masculine or feminine, but a handful are given to both. See more options in our unisex names.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Noor | NOOR | Light |
| Iman | ee-MAN | Faith |
| Ihsan | ih-SAN | Excellence, kindness |
| Nur al-Huda | NOOR al-HOO-da | Light of guidance |
| Jihan | jee-HAN | World (Persian-Arabic) |
| Nasim | na-SEEM | Breeze |
| Rida | ri-DA | Contentment, approval |
| Wisam | wi-SAM | Medal, badge of honor |
| Salam | sa-LAM | Peace |
| Safa | sa-FA | Purity; a hill in Mecca |
| Diya | di-YA | Radiance, light |
| Shams | SHAMS | Sun |
Arabic names from history, poetry and legend
From the Thousand and One Nights to the golden age of science, these names carry famous stories. Some also appear in our medieval names.
| Name | Famous bearer | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Scheherazade | Storyteller of the Thousand and One Nights | Persian-Arabic, “of noble lineage” |
| Aladdin | Hero of the Nights (Ala al-Din) | Nobility of faith |
| Harun | Caliph Harun al-Rashid of Baghdad | Arabic form of Aaron |
| Antara | Antarah ibn Shaddad, warrior-poet | Possibly “valiant in battle” |
| Majnun | Lover in “Layla and Majnun” | Possessed, madly in love |
| Salah al-Din | Saladin, sultan of Egypt and Syria | Righteousness of the faith |
| Fatima | Fatima al-Fihri, founder of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez | One who abstains |
| Rumaysa | Companion of the Prophet | Possibly “tender” or “small” |
| Zenobia | Queen of Palmyra, al-Zabbāʾ in Arabic tradition | Greek form, “life of Zeus” |
| Shajar al-Durr | Sultana of Egypt | Tree of pearls |
| Khawla | Khawla bint al-Azwar, warrior | Female deer |
| Rabia | Rabia al-Adawiyya, Sufi poet of Basra | Fourth; spring |
| Walladah | Andalusian poet and princess | Fertile, bearer of children |
| Jabir | Jabir ibn Hayyan, early chemist | Consoler, restorer |
| Hasan | Ibn al-Haytham, pioneer of optics | Good, handsome |
Arabic star and sky names
Arab astronomers named hundreds of stars — Aldebaran, Altair, Vega and Betelgeuse all come from Arabic. See our names that mean star for more.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Altair | The flying (eagle) | From al-nasr al-ṭāʾir |
| Vega | The swooping (eagle) | From al-nasr al-wāqiʿ |
| Aldebaran | The follower | Follows the Pleiades |
| Rigel | The foot | Of Orion |
| Deneb | Tail | Of the swan, Cygnus |
| Suhail | The star Canopus | Boy’s name |
| Najma | Star | Girl’s name |
| Hilal | Crescent moon | Boy’s or girl’s name |
| Qamar | Moon | Girl’s name |
| Badr | Full moon | Boy’s name |
How to choose an Arabic name
- Start with the meaning you want — patience, light, strength — and look at the names built on that root; you will often find a boy’s and a girl’s version (Karim/Karima, Jamil/Jamila).
- Pick one English spelling and stick with it. Families often choose the spelling that is simplest in their country, such as Yousef in the US or Youssef in France.
- Check how the name sounds with your surname and, if you follow Arabic custom, with the father’s name that will follow it.
- Names shared by several cultures, like Adam, Sara, Lina and Omar, travel especially well.
- Ask an Arabic speaker to pronounce the name for you; letters such as ʿayn and ḥa have no exact English match.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common Arabic name?
Muhammad (in its many spellings) is the most common male name in the Arab world. For girls, Fatima, Maryam and Aisha have long been among the most widespread.
Are all Arabic names Muslim names?
No. Arabic names predate Islam and are used by Arab Christians and Jews as well, while many Muslims have Persian, Turkish, Malay or African names.
Why do Arabic names have several spellings?
Arabic uses its own alphabet, and there is no single standard for writing it in Latin letters — so Mohammed, Muhammad and Mohamed are all valid.
What is a kunya?
A kunya is an honorific like Abu Omar (“father of Omar”) or Umm Kulthum (“mother of Kulthum”), used as a respectful way to address parents.
Which Arabic names are popular in the US?
Layla, Amir, Aaliyah, Malik, Zara, Omar and Adam are all well established on US baby name lists.