Arabic Names for Girls

A distinctive choice with a familiar beginning Ashwaq is an Arabic name, derived from the word Shawq meaning "longing". It is a popular choice in Iraq and Yemen.

Ashwaq

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

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

Pronounced with the soft oo sound in put or took, Umniya is a gentle Arabic name with a sparky and aspirational meaning, associated with hopes and fancies. Umnya and Umnia are alternative spellings.

Umniya

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

A stormy Arabic name, notably borne by actress Saiqa Akhtar, Saiqa is notably used in Pakistan. Derived from the Arabic word for "lightning" or "thunderbolt", it was also used as the name of a popular Urdu film released in 1968, the same year the aforementioned actress was born. 

Saiqa

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

The Maghrebi Arabic form of the name Amna, Emna is predominantly used in Tunisia, though it is also popular in France where it ranked in the Top 200 in a recent year. A transliteration of Amina, it means "safety" or "protected", and holds spiritual significance, Amina being the mother of the Prophet Muhammad. 
 
Notable bearers include journalist and activist Emna Mizouni and singer Emna Fakher.

Emna

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 zippy and cheerful name with bright, snappy sounds, Atiyah derives from the Arabic ʿaṭā' meaning "gift": a beautiful meaning for any child. Among Muslim families, it may be interpretated more figuratively as meaning "gift from Allah".
 
This form is also used in Indonesia and Malaysia, while alternative spellings include Atiya, Atia, Atiyya, and Atea. Used predominantly for girls, it is sometimes given to boys too, notably in Egypt.

Atiyah

A name with bright sounds and plenty of energy, Atiya comes from the Arabic ʿaṭā' meaning "gift": a beautiful meaning for any child. It may also be more figuratively interpreted as "gift from Allah" or "bestowed by God", making it a significant choice among Muslim families.
 
Also spelled as Atiyah, Atia, and Atiyya, the name is used predominantly for girls, though it is used for boys in Egypt.

Atiya

Gentle and warm, Salme is a multicultural name with several different roots. As a Prussian, Estonian, and Finnish name, it is used as a contracted form of the Biblical Salome, lending it the lovely meaning "peace", however, it also doubles up as an Estonian word name, meaning "poem".
 
In the latter case, it has literary ties too, appearing in the 19th-century Estonian national epic, Kalevipoeg by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald. Salme (from the Estonian salm) marries the son of the North Star.
 
The name is also used as a spelling variation of the Arabic Salma (or Selma), which ultimately shares a root with Salome. Usually said to mean "safe", it adds to the calm, gentle feel of the name.

Salme

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

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

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

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

Bright and distinctive with a nature-related meaning, Azahar is taken from one of many titles for the Virgin Mary, in this case, Nuestra Señora del Azahar meaning "Our Lady of the Orange Blossom". Used at a church dedicated to her near Murcia in Spain, the title is used to reflect the abundance of citrus trees in the area, and because the sculpture of the Virgin there depicts her holding an orange blossom branch in her hand.
 
Pronounced as a-tha-AR in European Spanish and a-sa-AR in Latin America, the name ultimately comes from the Arabic zahra meaning "flower, splendor" or "brilliant, shining" depending on the spelling. It does therefore coincide with the Arabic masculine name, Azahar, used as a Malay and Bengali form of Azhar.

Azahar

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 Somali name with a spiritual meaning, Fardowsa is a feminine variant of the unisex Arabic name, Firdaus. Ultimately, it comes from firdaws meaning "heavenly, paradise" and is used most predominantly in Somali.

Fardowsa

Nadire is the Turkish and Albanian form of the Arabic Nadira, a name that appears in the Quran as a word, used to describe the faces of those in Jannah, the final resting place of the righteous. 

Nadi̇re

Arabic girl names are used widely around the world, both by parents with Arabic roots and by non-Arabs. Names such as Aaliyah and Layla have become popular in many Western countries.



Layla is the top Arabic name for girls in the US. Along with Layla, 

 include Aaliyah, Kayla, Lila, Lyla, and Leila, Aisha, Imani, Mariam, and Zara. 

Arabic names that are popular in the UK for baby girls include Layla, Zara, Maryam, Lyla, and Aisha, all now in the Top 100 in England and Wales. 

 for girls we see on the horizon include Aziza, Inaya, and Kalila, among many others.

One of the top girl names in Arabic-speaking countries is Zainab or Zeynep, which has many spelling variations and is a tree name, meaning beauty or grace. Other popular Arabic girl names in the Arabic world include Elif, Azra, and Abrar.

Whether you're interested in Arabic names because of your family origins or an interest in this rich and historic culture, this is our complete complement of Arabic names for baby girls, organized by their current popularity on Nameberry.

Arabic girl names with meanings and popularity, including popular and unique Arabic names for girls from Layla to Inaya, (Page 16)

180+ Arabic Girl Names