Hamza was the legendary uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, hero of The Hamzanama, the Story of Hamza.

Spelled in various ways, this name was first brought into the American consciousness by the Lebanese-American poet and artist Kahlil Gibran, author of The Prophet.

Hassan is among the more familiar Arabic choices, and also one with an attractive meaning. It has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year since 1971.

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

Popular Arabic name for boys and sometimes girls too, that's also a term of authority in India.

Jamal is an Arabic boys’ name meaning "beauty." Jamal and its variants are popular in the Muslim community, although Jamal’s popularity within the US has decreased in recent years.

Kamal carries two positive associations: one of the ninety-nine qualities of Allah listed in the Quran and the evocative lotus flower. Americans might recognize it as the male equivalent of Kamala, as in Vice President Kamala Harris.

A favorite Muslim name, Kareem first appeared on the US Top 1000 list in 1972 (jumping in at Number 405!), coinciding with the early career of basketball great turned writer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Lewis Alcindor). It has continued to chart every year since.

Derived from the Arabic karuma, meaning "to be generous", the name encourages charitable and honorabe behaviour. Also transcribed as Karim, it is significant in Islamic tradition, al-Karīm being one of the 99 names of Allah.

This phonetic version is occasionally used and removes any confusion about whether the X is fully pronounced or not.

Name of the last king of Egypt.

In the Quran, Eyad (and names with similar roots like Iyad and Ayad) refers to a person/entity that strengthens another. Eyad is one of the modern Arabic names for boys.

Not related to Zack, Zacky, Zachary, or Zachariah – but many will assume it is.

Ismeal is a male name that appears to be a spelling variation of Ishmael or Ismael. The traditional name has Hebrew origins meaning 'God will hear' or 'God has heard.' In Biblical tradition, Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar. This specific spelling variant, Ismeal, is quite uncommon and may have developed through regional pronunciation differences or as a unique adaptation by families seeking a distinctive version of the traditional name. While the standard spellings Ishmael and Ismael are relatively common in various cultures, particularly in Muslim communities where Ismail is an important prophet, the Ismeal variant remains rare. The name carries connotations of being heard or acknowledged by divine forces.

This attractive Arabic name is gaining attention 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 Oscar) and most logical nickname (Sam) make it a choice that's at once accessible and distinctive for both genders.

Yusuf is the Arabic form of Joseph, used in the Middle East, as well as internationally from France and the US, to the UK, Turkey and Azerbaijan - where, as of 2023, it ranked in the Top 100.

The brightest star in Ursa Major, this is one of the major navigational stars used by ships.

Introduced to the lexicon by the husband of Little House on the Prairie writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, most scholars agree that this unusual name comes from the Arabic El-Mansur.

Pleasant and accessible and not as widely-used as some other African names.

Near Eastern name with lots of opportunities for variation and improvisation.

Sabik, a star in Ophiuchus, makes for a rather harsh-sounding name. If you're looking skyward for a baby name, you'd do better with Orion or Jupiter. But if you are searching for names that mean new beginnings, this is one unusual choice.