Arabic Names

Talitha appears in the Bible as words Jesus says to awaken a young girl whose parents feared she was dead. It has been used in the US since colonial times.  Talitha is also the name of two stars in Ursa Major, where it's related to the Arabic word for "third." Talitha definitely makes a fresh spin on Tabitha or Talisa.

Talitha

This is a widely used Arabic choice &mdash; but Rashad is more popular here. Actress Rashida Jones represents the feminine version.


Rashid

Zahira is the feminine form of Zahir.  Some may relate it to the more familiar Zahara.

Zahira

Mousa is an Arabic masculine name that serves as a variant of Moses (Musa in Arabic). The name carries deep historical and religious significance, as Moses is an important prophet in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Mousa literally means 'saved from water,' reflecting the biblical/Quranic story of Moses being rescued from the Nile as an infant. The name is widely used throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Muslim communities worldwide. In Western countries, Mousa remains relatively uncommon but is growing in popularity among Arab and Muslim diaspora communities. The name conveys qualities of leadership, wisdom, and divine guidance, reflecting the prophetic figure it honors.

Mousa

Whether you pronounce it my-a, ma-zha or ma-ha, Maja is an intriguing choice. Sometimes associated with Goya's famous painting "The Naked Maja." As a cognate of Maya, it's a Top 10 name in Slovenia and Sweden and is also popular in Germany and Norway.

Maja

Strong and bright, Zohran is an Indian and Pakistani name, derived from the Arabic Zahran, meaning "flowers, blossoms" or "to shine", depending on whether you trace its roots to the floral zahr or to the vibrant zahara. Pronounced as zuh-RAN or zo-HRAN, it is notably borne by New York politician and 112th mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
 
The name made its debut to the US stats in 2025 when it was chosen for 30 boys,

Zohran

An approachable and multicultural choice, Almir can be either a Bosnian form of the princely Arabic name, Al-Almir, or it is a Portuguese name, which, via a rather convoluted history, emerged from the Old Germanic and Old English Adelmar and Æðelmær. Both of its roots lend it a noble feel with a grounded sound and it is a familiar choice in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Brazil. 

Almir

A name with a gentler sound but a meaning full of grandeur, Ashraf is related to the names Sharif, Achraf, and Eşref, all of which come from the same "noble" root, sharufa.

Ashraf

A North African choice, particularly popular in Tunisia and Syria. 

Habib

Emira is one of those pan-international names that feels pleasant enough but seems so unrooted to any one culture that it might as well be made up.

Emira

Farida is a Muslim name more distinctive than the Americanized Farah/Farrah. 

Farida

Johari is derived from the Arabic word jawhar, which evolved from the Persian word gouhar, both referring to gemstones. With its glitzy meaning and on-trend sounds, Johari has been quietly on the rise for boys in the US, with 32 boys given the name in a recent year. 
 
Jawahir, Jawaharlal, and Gohar are all related names.

Johari

Kadir is derived from Qadir (many Arabic K names are phonetic versions of Q-starting names); a classic Muslim name reflecting one of the ninety-nine attributes of Allah. 

Kadir

Sharp and snappy but with an endearing meaning Barkat is an Arabic name associated with good luck. It appeared in the 2024 Punjabi song Barkat by Khan Bhaini and was subsequently, as fast-rising choice in the England and Wales charts in 2025. Also used as a masculine name, it shares the same root as Barack or Baraka.

Barkat

Ebrahim is a variant of Ibrahim, which is the Arabic form of Abraham. The name traces its origins to the ancient Hebrew name Avraham, meaning 'father of many nations' or 'exalted father.' Ebrahim holds significant importance in Islamic tradition as Ibrahim (Abraham) is revered as a prophet and patriarch. The name is widely used throughout Muslim communities globally, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. This variation with the 'E' spelling is especially common in certain regions like South Africa among Muslim communities. Ebrahim carries connotations of wisdom, faith, and leadership, reflecting the biblical/quranic figure's role as a spiritual founder and his willingness to sacrifice for his beliefs.

Ebrahim

Eliya may be thought of as a female variation on the popular Biblical boys' name Elijah or a spelling variation of the popular girls' name Aliyah.  It may not rank among the US Top 1000 and it may cause some spelling and pronunciation confusion, but it does have genuine roots as a name.

Eliya

Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions,"  it now has an old-style bohemian feel. 

Rima

Cool, strong, and distinctive, this Arabic name is associated with bravery and strength, while also being an animal name. It was notably the nickname of Ali ibn Abi Talib, a son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the first Shia Imam, making this a meaningful choice among Shia Muslims. It can also be spelled as Haidar, Haydar, Hajdar, and Heydar. 

Haidar

On trend for boys but with plenty of unisex appeal too, the place name Cairo was put on the map for girls when model Beverly Peele chose it for her daughter. Given to around 50 girls each year, it hasn't caught on just yet but with its similar sounds to Kaia and Skyler, it might do in the future. 
 
The name of the ancient city was derived from the Arabic term al-Kahira, meaning "the strong" or "the conqueror", and the name puts in mind a bustling city, museums, and ancient history.

Cairo

This name of a triple star system in Virgo has a New Agey astral feel. 

Zaniah

Arabic names have become much more widely known and used around the world over the past few decades. 

The Arabic name Muhammad has risen to become reportedly the 

 in the entire world when all its spellings are counted together. Muhammad is Number 1 in England as well as throughout the Arab world and also ranks among the Top 100 boys’ names in Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and Australia.

Arabic baby names widely used over the decades

 include Omar and Xavier, Leila (in all its variations) and Zara. Celebrities have helped popularize such Arabic names as Zayn, Aaliyah, Farrah, and Iman.

 in the Top 500 in the US include Amir, Malik, Nasir, Omar, and Xavier. 

 in the US Top 500 include Aaliyah, Amina, Layla, Fatima, and Zara. 

 include Maryam, Noor, Ahmed, and Ali. Muslim parents of every nationality often choose Arabic baby names, so other choices such as Zayn and Zara, Samar and Rashid, Jana and Yousouf are widely used around the world.

Here is our complete list of Arabic names,  ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

Arabic names are common in the Muslim community, and include stylish choices such as Layla, Amir, Zara, and Zayn, with meanings and popularity (Page 12)

325+ Arabic Names (with Meanings and Popularity)