Browse Names - Behind the Name

Aaliyah عالية f Arabic, English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Feminine form of Aali. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah. This name received a boost in popularity after she released her debut album in 1994, and also in 2001 after her untimely death in an airplane crash.

Aamaal آمال f Arabic
Means "hopes, aspirations" in Arabic (a plural form of Amal 1).

Abrar أبرار f & m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Means "virtuous" in Arabic. It is typically feminine in the Arab world, and typically masculine in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Adila عادلة f Arabic
Feminine form of Adil.

Afaf عفاف f Arabic
Means "chastity" in Arabic, from the root عفّ (ʿaffa) meaning "to refrain, to be chaste".

Amal 1 أمل f & m Arabic
Means "hope, aspiration" in Arabic, from the root أمل (ʾamala) meaning "to hope for".

Amel 2 آمال f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic آمال (see Aamaal) chiefly used in North Africa.

Amina 2 أمينة f Arabic
Feminine form of Amin.

Dana 4 دانا m & f Persian, Arabic
Means "wise" in Persian.

Eman إيمان f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman).

Fadila فاضلة f Arabic
Feminine form of Fadil.

Farah فرح f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Malay
Means "joy, happiness" in Arabic, from the root فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".

Fatimah فاطمة f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic فاطمة (see Fatima), as well as the usual Malay and Indonesian form.

Ghada غادة f Arabic
Means "graceful woman" in Arabic.

Ghufran غفران f & m Arabic
Means "forgiveness" in Arabic.

Halima حليمة f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Hausa, Swahili
Feminine form of Halim. Halima was the name of the foster mother of the Prophet Muhammad.

Halimah حليمة f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic حليمة (see Halima), as well as the usual form in Malay and Indonesian.

Hanan 2 حنان f Arabic
Means "mercy, compassion" in Arabic, derived from the root حنّ (ḥanna) meaning "to sympathize, to pity".

Hanane حنان f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic حنان (see Hanan 2) chiefly used in North Africa.

Haniya هنيّة f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هنيّة (see Haniyya).

Haniyya هنيّة f Arabic
From Arabic هنيء (hanīʾ) meaning "pleasant, beneficial", from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".

Hannah حنّة f English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.... [more]

Ikram إكرام f & m Arabic, Urdu
Means "honour" in Arabic, from the root كرم (karuma) meaning "to be generous".

Imaan إيمان f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman).

Iman إيمان f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Indonesian, Malay
Means "faith" in Arabic, derived from أمن (ʾamuna) meaning "to be faithful". It is typically feminine in Arabic and masculine in Persian.

Imane إيمان f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman) chiefly used in North Africa.

Imen إيمان f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman).

Inam إنعام f Arabic
Means "giving, bestowal, act of kindness" in Arabic, ultimately related to نعم (naʿima) meaning "to live in comfort, to be delighted".

Inas إيناس f Arabic
Means "friendliness" in Arabic, from the root أنس (ʾanisa) meaning "to be friendly".

'Ismat عصمت m & f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عصمت (see Ismat).

Itidal اعتدال f Arabic (Rare)
Means "temperance, moderation" in Arabic.

Karam كرم m & f Arabic
Means "nobility, generosity" in Arabic, derived from كرم (karuma) meaning "to be generous".

Khayra خيرة f Arabic
Means "good deed" in Arabic, a derivative of خير (khayr) meaning "goodness, charity".

Khayriyya خيريّة f Arabic
Feminine form of Khayri.

Kheira خيرة f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic خيرة (see Khayra) chiefly used in Algeria.

Latifah لطيفة f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic لطيفة (see Latifa), as well as the usual Malay and Indonesian form.

Masuma معصومة f Arabic, Pashto, Urdu
Means "innocent, sinless" in Arabic, derived from the root عصم (ʿaṣama) meaning "to protect". After her death, this name was applied to Fatima, a daughter of the 9th-century Shia imam Musa al-Kazim.

Menna منّة f Arabic (Egyptian)
From Arabic منّة (minna) meaning "favour, grace".

Mennatullah منّة الله f Arabic (Egyptian)
Means "grace of Allah", from Arabic منّة (minna) meaning "favour, grace" combined with الله (Allah).

Nada 1 ندى f Arabic
From Arabic نَدًى (nadan) meaning "dew, moisture, generosity", a derivative of ندي (nadiya) meaning "to be moist, to be damp".

Rahima رحيمة f Arabic, Bengali
Feminine form of Rahim.

Rahma رحمة f Arabic, Indonesian
Means "mercy, compassion" in Arabic.

Raja 1 رجاء f Arabic
Means "hope" in Arabic, from the root رجا (rajā) meaning "to hope, to anticipate".

Sabriyya صبريّة f Arabic
Feminine form of Sabri.

Sakina سكينة f Arabic, Urdu
Means "calmness, peace" in Arabic.

Shafiqa شفيقة f Arabic
Feminine form of Shafiq.

Shakira شاكرة f Arabic
Feminine form of Shakir. A famous bearer is the Colombian singer Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (1977-), known simply as Shakira.

Shakura شكورة f Arabic
Feminine form of Shakur.

Siddiqa صدّيقة f Arabic (Rare), Urdu
Feminine form of Siddiq.

Tahira طاهرة f Arabic, Urdu
Feminine form of Tahir.

Wafa وفاء f Arabic
Means "loyalty, faithfulness" in Arabic, a derivative of وفى (wafā) meaning "to fulfill, to live up to a promise".

Wafiya وفيّة f Arabic
Feminine form of Wafi.

Zaina زينة f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic زينة (see Zayna).

Zarifa ظريفة f Arabic
From Arabic ظريف (ẓarīf) meaning "elegant, graceful, charming".

Zayna زينة f Arabic
Feminine form of Zayn.

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