By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 18 pages
of 18
Arabic
"great, illustrious"
Simple, pretty, and delicate.
Arabic and Swahili from Persian
"jewel"
An attractive and traditional unisex name perfect for a cross-cultural child. Despite the current popularity of names ending in -ari, Johari is surprisingly rare in the US, though recent years have…
"pure"
Technically a boy's name, but certainly one that would work in the Western culture for a girl, especially after the release of Black Panther , in which it was the name of Lupita Nyong'o's fiery…
"spring"
Thought to be one of the ten angels who accompanies the sun on its daily course: a lovely image redolent of mythology. If you're looking for names that mean new beginnings , this makes an unusual and…
"fountain in paradise"
Also written as Salsabil, this is used as a term in the Quran and in the hadiths to denote a water spring or fountain in paradise (or Jannah).
Arabic, Spanish
"lady; berry"
Bright, friendly, and multicultural, Baya is both an Arabic title-name meaning "lady" and a Spanish word name, with the sweet meaning of "berry". Most of its real world usage is owing to its Arabic…
Chinese, Arabic, Burmese, Korean, English
"forest; jade, green gem; soft, tender; clear, bright; neighbor; pretty, lake"
Concise, multicultural, and well travelled, Lin is a deceptively simple looking choice with its roots in a variety of languages. As a Chinese name, it is a unisex option, pronounced as LEEN, and…
"red of face; proud bearing, graceful"
Also spelled as Maysun, Maisson, and Mayssoun, this name has been notably borne by two, early Arabic-language women poets, Maysūn bint Jandal and Maysūn bint Baḥdal, lending it a historical and…
"source of light, beacon, torch"
A soft and sweet unisex Arabic name with an international sound, Mishal can also be spelled as Mishaal. British broadcaster Mishal Husain is a notable bearer.
Variation of Namir, Arabic
"leopard"
An animal inspired Arabic name, that could work in Hebrew too.
"morning"
A popular Arabic name borne by a famed Lebanese actress and singer, could provide an intriguing alternative to Sarah.
Arabic place name
Zamzam has to be the ultimate impact name. Despite all those Zs, Zamzam, is not a trendy modern invention by some rock star; in fact Zamzam derives from the Well of Zamzam, which is the holiest place…
"victorious"
Captivating Arabic choice, sometimes transcribed as Fa'izah.
Variation of Lamia, Arabic
"shining, radiant"
An alternative transliteration of the Arabic name Lamia, with its bright, glowing meaning. This spelling may help distinguish it from the Greek Lamia, a woman driven to become a child-eating monster…
"kind and gentle"
Singer-actress Queen Latifah -- born Dana Owens -- makes this North African Muslim name sing.
"narcissus"
A floral Arabic name which holds significance to those who follow Twelver Shi'ism (the largest group of Shia Muslims), Narjis is said to have been the name of Muhamad al-Mahdi's mother. Also known as…
"honest, virtuous, pure"
A bright and spirited Arabic name with a serious meaning, Naziha can also be spelled as Nazeeha, Nazeehah, or Nezihe while the masculine form is Nazih. It is pronounced as na-ZEE-ha or as nu-ZEE-ha…
"righteous"
Rashida is an evocative and alluring name, currently represented by Rashida Jones, daughter of Peggy Lipton and Quincy Jones, who has been featured in The Office, Parks & Recreation, and The Social…
Variation of Samira
"companion in evening conversation"
This more elaborate version of the name is heard occasionally, but Samira or the related Samara is simpler and just as rhythmic.
"beauty marks"
Also written as Shaimaa, Shayma and Shimaa, this Arabic name is a popular choice in Egypt, though it has been used globally. Possibly meaning "beauty marks" (from shama ), it holds significance in…
