Arabic Names

Nadida

A significant name in Islamic tradition, Juwayriyyah was borne by the eighth wife of the Prophet Muhammad. Also spelled Juwayriya, Juwairiyya, and Juwairiya, the name has two meanings depending on which syllable is emphasized, though many use them interchangeably.
 
If pronounced juh-WAY-rih-yah, it is said to come from jara, literally meaning "to flow" but more poetically interpreted as "young woman" on her way to maturity. If it's pronounced juh-way-REE-yah, it comes from either Jooriyyah or ward juri, both associated with the Damask rose.

Juwayriyyah

A modern some sounding choice, Kanza is in fact a sparky Arabic and Japanese choice with a lovely meanings. 
 From its Arabic roots, it relates to treasure and wealth, adding value to the name; from Japanese, it has a variety of meaning including "blossom and warming sake", "generous place to stand in", "intuition of the left-hand side", or "a pause, an interval, a rest, to sit".
 
Also appearing as Kenza, it fits in well with multicultural choices like Farah, Dana, Mira, and Nina.

Kanza

A feminine form of Karim, most notably used in Malaysia and Indonesia, Karimah derives from the Arabic kamuna meaning "to be generous". Also transcribed as Karima and Kareema, it is pronounced as ka-REE-ma in Arabic, though ka-REE-mah may be heard in Indonesian and Malay.

Karimah

A feminine form of the popular Arabic name Qasim — also spelled as Kassim and Kasim — Kassima shares its positive meaning of "one who divides goods", or, more figuratively, "charitable, generous." Notably borne by YouTuber Gloom, whose real name is Kassima "Kassie" Isabelle, the name has works well across multiple languages and has spiritual significance for Muslims, as Qasim was the name of a son of the Prophet Muhammad. 

Kassima

The Turkish feminine form of the Arabic Karim (or Kerim, Kerem, and Ekrem as it may appear in Turkish), Kerime is pronounced as KEH-rih-meh, and may be associated with kindness and generosity. 

Keri̇me

Khairiah may sound cool and contemporary, but it is a well-established Arabic girl name, derived from the word kayr, connecting it to goodness, charity, and kindness. It also provided the inspiration behind the name of model Gigi Hadid and singer Zayn Malik's daughter, Khai. Khairiah is Hadid's grandmother's name, and the middle name of her sister Bella.

Khairiah

A traditional Arabic name with cool short form Khai, which was used as a standalone by Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik in 2020. It comes from the Arabic word kayr associating it with generosity, goodness, charity, and wealth and may also be spelled as Khayriyaa and Khairiah (Gigi Hadid's grandmother's name and her sister's middle: the inspiration behind Khai).

Khairiya

Cool but meaningful, Khayri is derived from the Arabic kayr, a word that appears multiple times in the Quran and is associated with goodness, generosity, wealth, and welfare. Also spelled as Khairi, it was chosen by footballer Riyad Mahrez and TV personality and influencer Taylor Ward for their son in 2025.
 
Other forms of the name include the short, sharp Khayr, Turkish variations Kayra and Hayri, and the feminine forms Khayriyya and Khairiyah.

Khayri

Sharp and bright, Khayriyya is an Arabic name, derived from the word kayr, in turn associating it with goodness, charity, benevolence, and wealth. Also spelled as Khairiya and Khairiah, it is related to the name Khai, as chosen by model Gigi Hadid and singer Zayn Malik for their daughter.

Khayriyya

Save this for your next run to Starbucks. 

Mocha

Lella is a diminutive of names like Gabriella, Raffaella, or Donatella, conveying affection and familiarity. In Arabic cultures, Lella is an honorific title meaning 'lady' or 'madam,' used particularly in North African regions to show respect to women of importance. 

The repeated L sound is very fashionable today, and Lella is an unusual entry in the genre. However, it will be forever confused with the trendier Lila, Layla, Leila et al, so may not feel as unique as you might wish.

Lella

Khalida is an evocative Middle Eastern choice.  Its male counterpart, Khalid, recently returned to the US Top 1000.

Khalida

Also appearing as Luluah and Lulwa, this is a charming, Arabic gemstone name with international appeal.

Lulua

Lyrania is a contemporary choice that may be viewed in several ways. On one hand, it's a pretty, elaborated form of the Greek Lyra, giving it a hint of Liliana, while on the other, it may be viewed as a smooth name, blending Lyra with the Arabic Rania, giving it the poetic meaning of "heavenly Lyra".
 
Other sources suggest it's a spin on Lyria ("lyre") or Liliana ("lily; pledged to God"), or perhaps a a blend of Lyla and Rania ("night + heaven"), Lyra and Ania ("graceful lyre"), Lyra and Rania (from its Norse roots, "to look on the lyre"). 
 
Similar sounding Liriana is another option.

Lyrania

An Arabic name that can easily cross cultures. Janan might make a distinctive honor name for an ancestral Jan, Jane, or John.

Janan

Ultimately derived from the Arabic word for coral, Marjane is an alternative form of the Persian and Kazakh name Marjan. A nature and sea-inspired choice that also links to a reddish-pinkish-orangey hue, Marjane was notably borne by the illustrator and film director Marjane Satrapi, creator of the graphic novel Persepolis and its film adaptation. 
 
Marjane may also be considered a compound name, blending the classic choices Marie, Mary, or Margaret with equally traditional Jane. 
 
Additionally, it appears in the title of the Croatian song, "Marjane, Marjane", which celebrates the Marjan hill, located by the city of Split, on which a large city flag is flown. It was popular among anti-fascists in World War II, and in this case, the name of the hill is likely a Slavic form of Marianus (or Marius).

Marjane

A melodic but sturdy, Mashael is an Arabic name with a bright and uplifting meaning. Derived from the same source as the unisex Mishal and associated with light sources, this form is notably borne by Olympic swimmer Mashael Alayed, rally driver Mashael AlObaidan, presenter and actress Mashael Jamal, and singer Mashael Khaled. 
 
The name is particularly popular in Saudi Arabia and may occasionally be spelled as Mishael.

Mashael

Matara is a major city in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka and a place considered significant to Buddhists, being the location of a number of temples, statues, and a sacred fig tree. The most literal meaning of the name is "the great ferry", though other interpretations include "the great crossing", "the great seaport", and "the great fortress".
 
Alternatively, Matara may be used as a variation of Matar, a unisex name which means "rain" in both Arabic and Hebrew.

Matara

A multicultural and unisex choice, Matara is both a variation of the Hebrew and Arabic Matar ("rain"), and a Sri Lankan place name ("the great ferry; the great crossing"). Used predominantly in India, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Chad, it is a rare name with an approachable feel.
 
From its Arabic and Hebrew roots, it has the cool weather and nature connection, while from its Sri Lankan connections, it is the name of a scared place for Buddhists.

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 26)

325+ Arabic Names (with Meanings and Popularity)