الأسماء وأحكامها

Names and Muslim naming system
And
Arabic names with their meaning

Old Arabic names are based on a very sophisticated naming system: most Arabs do not simply have first/middle/last names, but a full chain of names. This system is in use throughout Arab world. Due to the importance of the Arabic language in Islam, a large majority of the world's Muslims use Arabic first names (ism), but it is not common outside the Arab world to employ the full naming conventions described below.

Structure of the Arab name

Ism

The main name of an Arab person is the ism, his or her personal name. This could be for example Kareem or Mahmood. Most Arabic names are originally Arabic words with a meaning, usually signaling the good character of the person. Indeed, kareem means dignified or generous, mahmood means praiseworthy, and both words are employed as adjectives and nouns in regular language.

Muslim practices

A very common form for Muslim Arab names is based on the word abd, literally meaning "servant" or "slave", but here used in a genitive construction to signify someone submissive to God (Allāh in Arabic), i.e. a worshiper of Allah , (the "abd" of Allah ). Allah is referred to by a fixed list of 99 names and attributes in Islam. The result is a name such as Abdullah ("Submissive to the God") or Abdurrashid ("Submissive to the Righteous One").

According to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Muslims must name their children with good names that carry good meaning, He said: " the best names are Abdullah, Abudurrahman, Alharith and Hammam ), Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to change any name that refers to an Idol or which has bad meaning or contradicting to Islam

Kunyah

Often, a kunyah referring to the person's first-born son or daughter is used as a substitute for his name for example, "arab say Abu Karim" for "Father of Karim". The female variant is "Umm", thus "Umm Karim" for the mother of karim.

Nasab

The nasab indicates the persons heritage by the word ibn (sometimes bin) which means "son". Thus Ibn Khaldun means "son of Khaldun" (Khaldun is the father's name, or proper name). Several nasab can follow in a chain, to trace a person's ancestry backwards in time. This was important in the tribally based society of the ancient Arabs, both for purposes of identification and for social and political interaction. Some Arabs have their chain of names till it reaches Prophet Muhammad.

Laqab

The laqab is intended as a description or a title of the person. So, for example, in the name of the famous Abbasi Caliph Haroun al-Rasheed. Haroun is the Arabic form for Aaron, and "al-Rasheed" means "the righteous" or "the rightly-guided".

Arabic Alphabet

o        2.1 ا Alif

o        2.2 ب Bā

o        2.3 ت Tā

o        2.4 ث Ṯhā

o        2.5 ج Ǧeem(jeem)

o        2.6 ح Ḥā

o        2.7 خ khā

o        2.8 د Dāl

o        2.9 ذ Thā

o        2.10 ر Rā

o        2.11 ز Zāī

o        2.12 س Seen

o        2.13 ش Šheen

o        2.14 ص Ṣāad

o        2.15 ض Ḍhāad

o        2.16 ط Ṭā

o        2.17 ظ Tha(Ẓā)

o        2.18 ع Ayn

o        2.19 غ Ġayn

o        2.20 ف Fā

o        2.21 ق Qāf

o        2.22 ك Kāf

o        2.23 ل Lām

o        2.24 م Meem

o        2.25 ن Nūn

o        2.26 هـ Hā

o        2.27 و Wāw

o        2.28 ي Yā

List of names

Alif

• إبتسام Ibtisām. Feminine.
• إبراهيم Ibrāheem, Ibrahim. "Father/leader of many." Arabic form of Abraham. Masculine.
• أبو بكر Abū Bakr, Abu Bakr. Masculine. "Father of the young camel."
• إحسان Eḥsān. (care) Masculine.
• أحلام Aḥlām. (dreams) Feminine.
• أحمد Aḥmad, Ahmad or Ahmed. "Praiseworthy." Masculine.
• إدريس Idrīs. Islamic form of a person known as Enoch in the Torah. Masculine.
• آدم Ādam. Arabic form of Adam. Masculine.
• أسامة Usāmaḧ, Osama. Masculine. "Lion".
• إسحاق Isḥāq, Ishaq. Islamic form of Isaac. Masculine.
• أسماء Asmā. Feminine.
• إسماعيل Ismāīl, Ismail. Arabic form of Ishmael. Masculine.
• إلهام Elhām.(inspiration)  Feminine.
• آمال Āmaāl "Hopes". Feminine
• أمانيّ Amāny.  Feminine "Wishes, Hopes".
• أمل Amal "Hope". Feminine
• أمنة Aminaḧ. "trustworthy"  Feminine
• أميرة Ameeraḧ. "princess"   Feminine
• أميمة Umaymaḧ." Servant"  Feminine  
• أمين Amīn. "trustworthy" Masculine
• إنتصار Intiṣār. "victory" Masculine
• إيمان Īmān "Faith, Belief" Feminine.
• أيمن Ayman, Ayman. "Lucky; on the right." Masculine.
• إيناس Īnās. "friendly"  Feminine
• أيّوب Ayyūb. Arabic form of Job. Masculine.

ب Bā

• باسل Bāsil. Masculine. "Brave"
• باسم Bāsim. Masculine. "Smiling."
• بدريّة Badriyaḧ. Feminine. "moon light"
• بسّام Bassām. Masculine. "Smiling."
• بشّار Bašhaār, Bashar. Masculine. "good news carrier "
• بشارة Bišhāraḧ. "Good news." Masculine.
• بشر Bišhr, "Joy." Masculine.
• بشرى Bušhrā, "Good news." Feminine.
• بلال Bilāl. Masculine. "Moistening."
• بهاء Bahā. "Beauty, brilliancy." Masculine.

ت Tā

• توفيق Tawfeeq, Tawfiq. "Success; reconciliation." Masculine.
• تيسير Tayseer. "easiness" Masculine  

ث Ṯhā

• ثريّا Ṯhurayyā. " Stars " Feminine.
• ثناء Ṯhanā. " praise "  Masculine 

ج Ǧeem(Jeem)

• جابر Jābir. "healer"Masculine 
• جمال Jamāl, "Beauty." Masculine.
• جميل Jameel, "Beautiful, handsome" Masculine.
• جميلة Jamīlaḧ, "Beautiful." Feminine.
• جواد Jawād. "Horse, kind" Masculine 

ح Ḥā

• حامد Ḥāmid. "praiser " Masculine 
• حبيب Ḥabīb. 'lovely" Masculine 
• حسن Ḥasan. "good "Masculine 
• حسين Ḥusayn  "good " Masculine.
• حكمه Ḥikmah. "Wisdom " Feminine.
• حليمهّ Ḥileemah "patient " Feminine.
• حمد Ḥamd. "praise" Masculine
• حميد Ḥameed, "Praised." Masculine.
• حميدة Ḥameedaḧ, "Praised." Feminine.
• حنان Ḥanān. "Emotion" Feminine.
• حياة Ḥayāḧ. "Life" Feminine.

خ Khā

• خالد Khālid, "Eternal." Masculine.
• خديجة Khadeejaḧ, Khadijah. Feminine.
• خليل kHaleel, Khalil. "Good friend." Masculine.

د Dāl

• دانية Dāniyāh. "very close" Feminine.  
• داود Dāūd, Daud. Islamic form of David. Masculine.
• دعاء Duaa. "Supplication" Feminine.

ر Rā

• رجاء Rajaa. "Hope" Feminine. And Masculine  
• رشاد Rašhād. "guidance" Feminine.   
• رشيد Rašheed, Rashid. " wise "Masculine.
• رضا Riḍhā." Pleasant"

ز Za

• زبير Zubayr. Masculine. "Small piece of iron."
• زكيّ Zaky. Masculine. "Pure, Chaste".
• زهرة Zahraḧ. "Flower." Feminine.
• زياد Ziyād. Masculine. "Increase, Addition."
• زيد Zayd. Masculine. "Growth, Intense."
• زينب Zaynab. Feminine. "Scented Flower."

س Seen

• سالم Sālim. "safe" Masculine
• ساميّ Sāmi "Lofty; exalted." Masculine.
• ساميّة Sāmiyaḧ. "Lofty; exalted." Feminine.
• سحر Saḥar. "before dawn"  Feminine.
• سعاد Suād.  Feminine.  
• سعد Saad. " happiness"  Masculine
• سعديّة Saadiyaḧ. Feminine.
• سعيد Saeed, "Happy." Masculine.
• سلمان Salmān,.  Masculine.
• سلوى Salwā. " joy"  Feminine.
• سليم Saleem. "safe " Masculine
• سليمان Sulaymān, Sulayman. Arabic form of Solomon. Masculine.
• سمير Sameer, Samir. "Entertaining companion." Masculine.
• سميرة Samīraḧ, Samirah. "Entertaining companion." Feminine.
• سناء Sanā. Feminine.
• سهام Sihām. "arrows" Feminine.
• سوسن Sawsan. "rose " Feminine.
• سيّد Sayed. "lord" Masculine

ش Šheen

• شريف Šhareef. Honorable. Masculine
• شرف   sharaf  " honor, dignity " Masculine

ص Ṣād

• صادق Ṣādiq. "sincere, truthful" Masculine
• صالح Ṣāliḥ. "righteous" Masculine
• صباح Ṣabāḥ. "morning" Feminine.
• صفاء Ṣafā. "purity" Feminine.
• صفيّة Ṣafiyaḧ, "pure" Feminine.

ط Ṭā

• طارق Ṭāriq, Tariq. The name of a star; boy who knocks on doors. Masculine.
• طريف Ṭāreef. "funny" Masculine.

ع Ayn

• عائشة Āaishaḧ, Aisha. " feeder "Feminine.
• عادل Ādil. "just" Masculine.
• عبّاس Abbās, Abbas. A description of a lion. Masculine.
• عبد الحليم AbdulḤaleem, Abdulhalim. "Servant of the patient one." Masculine.
• عبد الحميد AbdulḤameed, Abdulhamid. "Servant of the praised one." Masculine.
• عبد الرحمن AbdurRaḥmān, Abdulrahman. "servant of the compassionate"  Masculine.
• عبد الرحيم AbdurRaḥeem, Abdulrahim. "Servant of the most merciful one." Masculine.
• عبد الرزّاق AbdurRazzāq, Abdulrazzaq. "Servant of the sustainer." Masculine.
• عبد السلام AbdusSalām, Abdulsalam. "Servant of the peace." Masculine.
• عبد العزيز AbdulAzeez, Abdulaziz. "Servant of the powerful one." Masculine.
• ّعبد الغني AbdulĠany, Abdul-ghani. "Servant of the rich one." Masculine.
• عبد الفتّاح AbdulFattāḥ, Abdul-fattah. "Servant of the opener." Masculine.
• عبد القادر AbdulQādir, Abdul-qadir. "Servant of the capable." Masculine.
• عبد الكريم AbdulKareem, Abdul-karim. "Servant of the generous one."
• عبد اللطيف Abdu-l-Laṭīf, Abdul-latif. "Servant of the gentle one." Masculine.
• عبد الله Abdullāh, Abdullah. "Servant of Allah." Masculine.
• عبد المجيد AbdulMajeed "Servant of the glorious one." Masculine.
• عبد المنعم AbdulMunʻim, Abdul-munim. "Servant of the benefactor." Masculine.
• عبد الهادي AbdulHādī. "Servant of the guide one." Masculine.
• عبد الوهّاب AbdulWahhāb, Abdul-wahhab. "Servant of the giver." Masculine.
• عبير Abeer. "good smell " Feminine
• عفاف Afāf. "chastity" Feminine
• عليّ Ali, "High." Masculine.
• عليّة Aliyyaḧ, Alia. "High." Feminine.
• عمر Umar, Omar. Masculine.
• عواطف Awāṭif. "emotions" Feminine
• عوض Awaḍ, Awad. "Compensation." Masculine.
• عيسى Eisa , Isa. Islamic form of Jesus. Masculine.

غ Ġayn

• غادة Ġādaḧ. Feminine
• غيداء Ġāydaa  Feminine

ف Fā

• فاديّ Fādiyy. "Sacrifice maker "Masculine.
• فاروق Fārooq, Faruq. "One who distinguishes truth from falsehood." Masculine.
• فاطمة Fāṭimaḧ "weaner " Feminine.
• فايز Fāyiz. "winner " Masculine.
• فريد Farīd. "Unique." Masculine.
• فؤاد Fuāad,. "Heart." Masculine.
• فايزه  Faizaḧ. "wiiner" Feminine.

ق Qāf

• قاسم Qāsim, Qasim. "Distributor." Masculine.

ك Kāf

• كامل Kāmil. "perfect"  Masculine.
• كريم Kareem. "Generous." Masculine.
• كريمة Kareemaḧ. " Generous "Feminine.
• كمال Kamāl.  "perfection" Masculine.

ل Lām

• لطيفة Laṭeefaḧ. "gentle" Feminine.
• ليلى Laylā. Feminine.

م Meem

• ماهر Māhir. "clever "  Masculine.
• محسن Muḥsin, "Charitable." Masculine.
• محمّد Muḥammad  "Praised." Masculine.
• محمود Maḥmood, Mahmud. "Praised." Feminine.
• مديحة Madīḥaḧ. "praised" Feminine.
• مريم Maryam, Maryam. Arabic form of Mary. Feminine.
• مصطفى Muṣṭafā, Mustafa. "Chosen one." Masculine.
• منصور Manṣoor, Mansur. "Divinely aided.", "Victorious." Masculine.
• منى Munā. "hope" Feminine.
• منير Munīr. "shiny " Masculine.
• منيرة Munīraḧ. " shiny "  Feminine.
• مها Mahā. "deer "Feminine.
• مهديّ Mahdy. "guided " Masculine.  
• موسى Mūsā, Musa. "Drawn." Arabic form of Moses. Masculine.

ن Nūn

• نادية Nādiyaḧ. "Announcer" Feminine.
• ناصر Nāṣir "Protector." Masculine.
• نبيل Nabeel, Nabil. "Noble". Masculine.
• نبيلة Nabeelaḧ, Nabilah. "Noble". Feminine.
• نجاح Najāḥ. "success" Feminine.
• نجلاء Najlā  Feminine.
• نجمة Najmaḧ. " star " Feminine.
• نجوى Najwā.  Feminine
• نضال Niḍāl. "struggle " Masculine.
• نوال Nawāl. Feminine.

هــ Hā

• هاشم Hāšhim. "Broker; destroyer of evil." Masculine.
• هاني Hāni. "A happy man" Masculine
• هبة Hibaḧ. "gift "Feminine.  
• هدى Hudā  "guidance" Feminine.
• هناء Hanā "Happiness." Feminine.
• هند Hind. Feminine.

و Wāw

• وداد Widād. "love" Feminine.
• وفاء Wafā. "Faithfulness". Feminine.
• وليد Walīd. " Newly born " Masculine.

ي Yā

• ياسر Yāsir, Yasser. Masculine.
• يحيى Yaḥyā, Yahya. "He lives". Islamic form of John. Masculine.
• يعقوب Yaqūb. Arabic form of Jacob. Masculine.
• يوسف Yūsuf, Yusuf. " Arabic form of Joseph. Masculine.
• يونس    yunus    a name of a Prophet

Collected and Revised
By
Hamadi Al-Aslani
Manager of Editing and Translation
B.A. Islamic studies
B.A. English language
Jeddah Dawah Center
With the compliments of www.rememberAllah.com