325+ Arabic Names (with Meanings and Popularity)

Peridot is the gem of the month of August, a vibrant green mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in ancient times as the symbol of the sun.

There are over five hundred names for the Arab prophet who founded the Muslim religion (some of which are listed below), making it the most common boys' name in the world and explaining the Muslim adage, "If you have a hundred sons, name them all Muhammad."

This phonetic version is occasionally used and removes any confusion about whether the X is fully pronounced or not.

An English transcription of Arabic Safaa or Safaa', popular among Muslim parents in the UK. As-Safaa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca.

Zainab—the name of a flowering tree and of a granddaughter, daughter, and two wives of the Prophet Muhammed—was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2013. While simplified variations Zaina or Zayna are more Western-friendly, neither makes the US list.

Hassan is among the more familiar Arabic choices, and also one with an attractive meaning. It has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since 1971.

Popular girls' name in Syria. In Yiddish, pronounced ZAE-dah, this is a term for grandfather.

Nylah is the Arabic name of a princess -- Nyla is another variation -- that's rising quickly through the ranks, partly thanks to an adorable kitty that enjoyed 15 minutes of YouTube fame. But we predict this attractive and unusual name will get a longer turn in the sun than the pop-culture cat.

Similar to Nasser, with a slightly more altruistic meaning. Rapper Nas was born Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones, and Nasir may have gotten a bump from 2016 show The Night Of, whose protagonist was named Nasir Kahn.

Zayna is a simplified spelling of Zaynab, the name of the eldest daughter of Muhammad, and also the feminine version of Zayn. Zaina is a widely-used spelling variation. Zainabu is another form of the name, also found in Swahili.

Gorgeous and captivating, more than a thousand Muslim-American girls are annually given this name of the daughter of Muhammad and one of the four perfect women according to the Quran.

Has a gemlike glow, as in Sapphire.

The lilting name of a range of mythical mountains, with an extensive menu of spellings, and a more unusual way of fitting in with current favorites Lila and Lola.

Zinedine Zidane is France's biggest soccer star, spawning a legion of little Zinedines in that country.

Sari is a cute spin on Sarah, though some may hear it as "sorry," and it is also an item of clothing worn in India. These days many people will also confuse Sari with Suri, the lovely and unsual name of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' much-publicized young daughter.

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

A strong and confident name growing in popularity, in numerous spellings.

The name of the 44th president, which he inherited from his Kenyan father, is related to the Swahili word "baraka," meaning "blessing," derived from the Arabic "baracka." It is linked, through the Semitic root, to the Hebrew name Baruch. Barack is also sometimes an alternate spelling of the Hebrew name Barak, which stems from the Semitic word for "lightning." Barack Obama may have found it a difficult name to grow up with, but the same won't be true for the many babies starting to be given that name. Other parents are being inspired to use Obama, which is a common surname among the Luo people of East Africa meaning "to lean or bend."

Mustafa is a name widely used in Turkey, as it was the given name of the man popularly known as Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. Mustafa is also an epithet of the prophet Muhammad and was the name of four Ottoman sultans. Other spellings include Mostafa, Moustafa, and Moustapha.

Nahla is a lovely name chosen by Halle Berry for her daughter. Not to be confused with the Disneyfied Nala.