Arabic first names (or Muslim first names) are names that are used predominately in the Muslim world. Most of the names are Arabic, though some names are not (such as Iranian and Turkish names).
The Arabic world (Arab League) consists of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco (including Western Sahara), Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.
Unlike eastern names (Japanese/Chinese/etc…) names, Arabic names usually embody goodness and beauty in the name. It is believed in the Muslim culture that on judgment day you will be called by your name.
A baby may not be called the name Allah unless it is combined with another name (Abdullah…). Although names in the Arabic community convey virtues and beauty (of nature) they should not under any circumstances reflect love or romance.
Some places to find inspiration for Arab babies are the Qur’an (the Holy book of Islam), the Old Testament of the Bible (Ibrahim [Abraham] and Miriam [Mary] are two popular choices. Male arabic names often are prefixed with ‘Abd-al’ meaning “servant of”.
The most popular male name in the world (and the male name with the most diminutives), Mohammed, is an Arabic name that comes from the prophet and founder of Islam. The family and descendants of Mohammed are also extremely popular choices (Fatima, Ali, Bakr, etc…).
As the Islamic faith grows around the world, so do the areas where these names are found. One such place is the African-American communities of the United States where many parents have bestowed both the religion and new Arabic name of their children upon them. Some include Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. (Muhammad Ali), Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and Bobby Moore (Ahmad Rashad) just to name a few.
Below is a list of Arabic names perfect for naming your Arabic baby. Click on the name for the meaning and origin of the name and feel free to contact us with additions/corrections to the database.