By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
Feminine variation of Amir, Arabic
"commander, prince"
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.
Arabic
"unique, precious pearl"
Farida is a Muslim name more distinctive than the Americanized Farah/Farrah.
"capable"
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.
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…
Variation of Elijah or Aliyah, Hebrew; Arabic
"Yahweh is god; rising, to ascend; heavens, highborn, exalted"
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…
Arabic; Lithuaniian
"white antelope; to calm down, to quieten"
Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.
"corner"
This name of a triple star system in Virgo has a New Agey astral feel.
"the one who brings good news"
Used both as a given name and as a surname, Bashir is a familiar but still unusual choice in the USA and UK, even among Muslim families. In 2014, only 25 boys were named Bashir in the US. One reason…
"servant"
Kadeem is a name made familiar by TV actor Kadeem Hardison, a fresher alternative to the better known Kareem.
"light, lamp"
Worldly and evocative.
Arabic, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
"dew at sunrise; hope"
Concise Nada is a cross-cultural choice with pleasant meanings. In Arabic, it is derived from nadan meaning "dew, moisture", though other possible translations include "caller" and "goodness". As a…
"precious, scarce"
A relatively popular Arabic name that featured in the French Top 500 for much of the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st. It is also used as a given name in Turkey, Iran and Israel, as…
Arabic, Spanish
"swooping eagle; meadow"
Another astral name, this one relating to one of the largest and brightest stars in the heavens, is popular in Scandinavia and Spain, where it ranks among the Top 50 girls' names . Although still…
Safiyah is a feminine name of Arabic origin meaning 'pure' or 'chosen friend.' This beautiful name appears in Islamic history as the name of one of Prophet Muhammad's wives, giving it significant…
"evening conversation"
This lovely Arabic name is gaining popularity in the US, used equally for boys and girls. Indeed, its sound (it rhymes with the feminine Tamar but ends with the fashionably masculine -ar sound, as in…
"fortunate, prosperous"
Popular girls' name in Syria. In Yiddish, pronounced ZAE-dah, this is a term for grandfather.
Arabic variation of Aaron
"exalted, high"
This common Arabic name is related to Aaron, but feels far more distinctive in the US. Haroun Khalifa is the protagonist of Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories .
"silver pearl"
Rare and rhythmic.
"safe"
Spelled Najee, this was chosen by rapper LL Cool J for his son several years ago.
Arabic or Hebrew
"light or my fire"
A name used in the Middle East but that could easily work in the US. As a girls' name, Nuri can also be a short form of Nuria. It was chosen by Christy Lefteri for the protagonist of her novel, The…
