Shalimar

Shalimar for girls

The exact etymology of the name is unknown but theories include that it comes from the Arabic shah al-'imarat meaning "master of buildings; from the Sanskrit shala and the Turkic mar meaning "abode of joy, place of pleasure"; from Kashmiri, to mean "black soil for growing rice"; from the Persian to mean "garden of the black-eyed sweetheart"; or from Punjabi, meaning "God's curse".

While the name is feminine leaning in the US, Egypt, and the Philippines, it is masculine in Pakistan, and unisex in India.

Shalimar for boys

A spin on Shalamar, itself taken from the Shalamar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan, a popular tourist destination that was built by the emperor Shah Jahan, best known for building the Taj Mahal. This particular spelling gained traction thanks to a perfume of the same name, released back in the 1920s, and by the film The Princess of the Nile in 1954, in which the central character is called Shalimar.

The exact etymology of the name is highly debated, but theories include that it comes from the Arabic shah al-'imarat meaning "master of buildings; from the Sanskrit shala and the Turkic mar meaning "abode of joy, place of pleasure"; from Kashmiri, to mean "black soil for growing rice"; from the Persian to mean "garden of the black-eyed sweetheart"; or from Punjabi, meaning "God's curse".

While the aforementioned film has meant this name leans feminine in the US, it is used as a masculine choice in Pakistan and as a unisex option in India. .