Arabic Names for Boys

Shaquille O'Neal came almost as close as he could to a Junior when he selected this name for his son. 

Shaqir

Despite its disagreeable meaning, this name has a distinctive literary heritage: the eminent Kiswahili writer Shabaan Roberts is called the Shakespeare of East Africa. 

Shabaan

A simple yet intriguing name of Arabic origin, Ramil likely derives from the word ramal, translating literally to "sands", however, indirectly, it's associated with the practise of geomancy or earth divination, in which sand, rocks, and soil are used to predict the future. In Arabic, this is known as ilm al-raml ("science of the sand"). 
 
It is also used as a Filipino name, possibly related to the Arabic roots listed above, or a modern invention based on Jamal ("beautiful") and Ramiro ("great judge").

Ramil

A name with considerable history, as the celebrated sultan of Egypt and Syria in the time of the Crusades. 

Saladin

A popular name in the Arab community, with an upbeat meaning. 

Sa'id

Confident Middle Eastern choice. Children will relate to the Rafiki form via the wise guru in Disney's "The Lion King." 

Rafiq

Not to be confused with Rabbi (a Jewish leader, scholar, and teacher), Rabi is an Arabic name meaning "springtime", that also appears as Rabih and Rabeeh. 
 
It can also be used as a variation of Ravi, to reflect the Bengali pronunciation (RAW-bee) of the Hindu sun god's name, or as an alternative spelling to the Scottish Rabbie (itself from Robin and Robert).

Rabi

More frequently seen with the Kadeem spelling, as in actor Kadeem Hardison. 

Qadim

One of several Arabic names that can be spelled with a Q or a K, rarely heard outside the Muslim community. 

Qadar

Numair

A zippy Arabic name with a solid and serious meaning, Nazih has been notably borne by poet Nazih Abu Afach and footballer Amjhad Nazih. 

Nazih

Attractive name, but it does sound feminine. Some have changed it to Nakari.   Although it does not make the U.S. Top 1000, Nakia is among the ten fastest-rising names for both boys and girls.

Nakia

Zuben el Hakrabi (literally "claws of the scorpion") is the traditional name for Gamma Librae, a star system in the constellation of Libra but previously considered part of Scorpio. A rare option as a baby name, it could work for those who like Ruben, Zephyr, Bennett, and Zenith. 

Zuben

Also appearing Aïssa, this name is largely used in French-influenced countries, including Algeria, Morocco, Belgium, and France itself. It derives from the Arabic Isa, the name by which Jesus is known as in the Quran. While the name did appear in the French Top 500 back in the 1960s, alternative spellings Issa, Isa, and Essa are more widely used. 
 
Aissa is also used as a feminine name, in this case as a variant of Aisha. One notable male bearer of the name, however, is footballer Aïssa Mandi.

Aissa

Ali̇xan is a cool and contemporary looking name, and a recent addition to the Top 60 in Azerbaijan. It combines the Arabic Ali with the Turkic title, Khan, to give the name the powerful meaning of "supreme and exalted leader".
 
Alixan is also the name of a town in South East France, pronounced AH-leek-ohn, with a barely there 'n' in the final syllable. In this case, the name would mean "land of Alexius".

Alixan

Siyad is likely derived from the Arabic word sayaad meaning "hunter", "gunner", or "fisherman", making this an occupational Arabic name, equivalent to the popular, outdoorsy English choices, like Hunter, Fisher, and Sawyer. Alternatively, some sources suggest Siyad is a variation of Siad or Sayyid meaning "lord, master, chief", of Sa'd, Suad, and Saad, meaning "blessed, fortunate".

Siyad

Mozes is a variation of Moses, a name with ancient Hebrew origins meaning "drawn out of the water," referring to the biblical account of baby Moses being rescued from the Nile River. This particular spelling with a 'z' instead of 's' and without the second 's' reflects Dutch, Hungarian, and some Eastern European naming traditions. While the biblical Moses is one of history's most significant religious figures who led the Israelites out of Egypt, the Mozes spelling gives the name a distinctive European flavor. Though less common than the standard Moses, this variant maintains the name's powerful historical and religious significance while offering a slightly different visual and phonetic quality. The name suggests leadership, wisdom, and divine guidance.

Mozes

In Islamic tradition, Ijaz refers to the miraculous nature of the Quran and the belief that it is unique and impossible to recreate through human speech or writing. As such variations of the name are used among Muslim parents, including Aijaz, Ajaz, and Ajas. 

Ajas

Familiar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ajman might be used as a variation of the Arabic name Ayman, in turn, associating it with good luck, or more literally, with the right hand. In this case, it would be said as eye-man.
 
 It may also be considered a place name, however, as Ajman is both an emirate and a city in the United Arab Emirates, and in this context, it would mean "foreigner", from the Arabic ʕajam, as it was historically inhabited by the Persians. Aj-mahn or uhj-man would be the pronunciation here.

Ajman

For several years this name ranked high with African-American parents, but it's definitely started to slide. 

Málik

 include the most popular baby boy name worldwide: Muhammad and its variants. Millions of men and boys bear the name around the globe, and (with variant spellings taken into account) it’s currently the top boy name in Britain and several other European countries.

 as well among Muslim parents. Along with Muhammad, other Arabic names for boys in the US Top 1000 include Ali, Amir, Ibrahim, Malik, Nasir, Omar, Samir, Xavier, and Yusuf. Unique Arabic boy names getting more attention include Amin, Aza, Osman, Rahim, and more.

 include — besides Muhammad — Yusuf, Ibrahim, and Musa, which is the Arabic form of Moses. Boy names popular in the Arabic-speaking world include Yusuf, Mustafa, and Hamza, which means lion or strong.

Arabic names are rich in history and often have particularly deep and powerful meanings. You’ll find over 100 more awesome Arabic boy names in Nameberry’s full tally, below, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry. 

Arabic Boy Names with meanings and popularity, popular with Muslim parents in the US, Britain, and around the world. (Page 11)