By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 18 pages
of 18
Arabic, Mongolian, American
"honest; fate, destiny"
Zaya, which rhymes with Maya, came to attention as the name of basketball great Dwyane Wade's older daughter, the stepdaughter of actress Gabrielle Union. It's one of those names that hits the sweet…
Arabic
"happiness"
Back in the late '70s, Farrah Fawcett's name was as frequently copied as her hairstyle and even made the Top 200 in 1977! Like any trend, however, it promptly fell back out of style, only to…
"heavens, highborn, exalted"
Alya is most familiar in the US in its much-more-complicated form Aaliyah, the spelling used by the later singer. The traditional name of the star system Theta Serpentis, Alya is also an established…
Farah is a soft and lovely Arabic name, best known here in this original spelling via the last Empress of Iran, Farah Palavi. It's currently a Top 250 name in both France and the Netherlands, which…
Arabic, African
"large eyes; or time; beautiful flower"
Variant of Ayana with international roots.
Variation of Iman, Arabic
"faith"
Emani is more popular than the original Iman, for girls at least. About 200 baby girls were named Emani in the US last year, while 80 girls were named Iman. Iman is quite gender-neutral, with 60 baby…
"alive"
Variant of Aisha. In the 19th century novel She , Ayesha is a beautiful 2000-year-old queen of a lost city, and is known as "she who must be obeyed."
Arabic; Italian; Lithuanian
"returning visitor; happy; echo"
Aida is a melodic name largely associated with the title character of the 1871 Verdi opera, an enslaved Ethiopian princess who dies to save her people. In the past, her name was rarely heard outside…
"mountaintop, splendid, brilliant"
One of the most easily imported Arabic names.
Short form of Kayla, Arabic and Hebrew
"laurel, crown"
A cute nickname name that's risen high over the past decade or so, more especially as Kaylee, this name combines the attributes of Hailey and Kayla, Kylie and Callie.
"nocturnal journey"
An Arabic name with a powerful and alluring meaning, in Islamic tradition, Isra refers to one part of the Night Journey that the Prophet Muhammad, in which he led other prophets such as Ibrahim, Isa,…
Tree name or Arabic,"beauty, grace"
"beauty, grace"
Zaynab, from the Arabic word for beauty and the name of a flowering tree, was the name of a granddaughter, daughter and two wives of the Prophet Muhammed. Related names include the simplified forms…
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…
"paradise, garden"
In Islamic tradition, Jannah specifically refers to the paradise or heavenly garden that awaits the faithful in the afterlife. This spiritual significance makes the name particularly meaningful in…
Variation of Nazia or Naziha, Pakistani, Persian, Arabic
"a woman of whom you can be proud; sweet, coy; virtuous, honest; elegant, graceful"
Social media star Naziyah Kahliya may have helped put this name on the map for contemporary US parents, with more than 50 girls receiving the name in 2024, compared to just 13 a year prior. An…
"supreme"
Asma is a simple but powerful name, and holds significance in Islamic tradition. Asma was a niece of Muhammad whose refusal to betray her uncle and father helped them escape to Mecca. A very popular…
"high, exalted, praised"
Samiyah hovers near the bottom of the US Top 1000, used expecially by Arab-American and African-American families. Variations include Samiya, Samiah, and Samia.
Variation of Leila, Arabic
"night"
Leilah is one of many variations of the Arabic name Leila or Layla (the most popular version), and while this spelling was given to a relatively few 125 baby girls last year, Leila was used for about…
"replacement, substitute"
Popular among the Muslim community and currently in the UK Top 300, Aiza is a name with bright, zippy sounds and a short but substantial feel, making it an appealing choice. Though the exact…
"beautiful, graceful"
Soft and appealing, with a whiff of vanilla.
