Popular Arabic Boy Names
Choose a name that is loved by many. These names are the most popular names for boys, and have traditional meanings that are rooted in Arabic. They include recognizable names like Abdul, Ahmad, and Muhammad, which also sometimes appear in other forms as Muslim last names. You’ll also find ones that aren’t as obvious, like Darwoud, Hafiz, and Yahya. Abdul – Combines the Arabic word “abd,” meaning “servant,” and the prefix “al/el,” meaning “the.” Abdul is known as the “servant of Allah.” Adnan – “Settler” or “one who is permanent.” Ahmad – Derived from the Arabic “aḥmad,” meaning “to thank or “to praise.” It’s one of many names that refer to the Prophet Muhammad. Ahsan – The “best.” Armaan – “Hope” or “aspiration.” Ashraf – Refers to the “most honorable” or “most distinguished.” It’s taken from “sharif," meaning “noble" or "honorable.” Bilal – Means “moisture” or “refreshing.” Dawoud – Means “beloved friend.” It’s the Arabic form of David. Fahad – Describes a “leopard” or “panther.” Fahim – Means “perspective,” “keen,” “clever,” or “wise.” Hafiz – Refers to a “guardian” or “one who remembers.” Ibrihim – Means “father of many.” It’s a variation of the Hebrew boy’s name Abraham, consisting of “av,” meaning “father,” and “hamon,” meaning “multitude.” Kahlil – Refers to a “beloved companion.” Kareem – Means “generous” or “noble.” Khalid – Means “everlasting” and “immortal.” It’s derived from the Arabic “khalada,” meaning “to last forever.” Mahmoud – Means “elegant” or “praiseworthy,” and also appears as Mahmood. Muhammad – The name of the primary prophet in Islam, which is derived from the Arabic “ḥammada,” meaning “to praise.” Mustafa – Means “chosen.” It’s also one of the names of the prophet Muhammad, also meaning “selected,” “appointed,” and “preferred.” Nadim – Refers to a “companion” or “confidante.” Omar – Means “flourishing” and “long-lived.” It is related to the Arabic “āmir,” meaning “prosperous,” “full of life,” and “substantial.” Saad – Means “happiness,” “good fortune,” or “prosperity.” Salman – Means “healthy,” “pure,” or refers to one who is “safe from illness.” Sami – Means "elevated," "sublime," or "exalted.” Comes from the Arabic "samā," meaning "to transcend" or "be high.” Suhayb – Means “who shows the right path” and is one of the names associated with the Prophet Muhammad. Yahya – Means “he lives” or “to live.” It’s derived from the Arabic “hayaa,” meaning “life.” Youssef – Means “God increases” as the Arabic form of Jacob. Yazan – Means “to weigh.” Zahir – Means “visible” or “apparent.” Zaid – Means “growth” or “abundance,” and is associated with Zaid ibn Harithah, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Zubair – Means “strong” or “brave.” Meet the wikiHow Experts Tara Collins is a baby name expert who established The Name Nest in 2018 after her personal journey of selecting her children’s names. Sonya Prior is a baby naming expert who shares name content on social media to over 30k followers across Instagram and TikTok.
Unique Arabic Boy Names
Find names with meanings that are distinct. These names are somewhat common, but include meanings as varied as “full moon” (Badar) and “minerals” (Marwa). Some names like Rumi mean “glory of the faith,” while others, like Altair, refer to a “flyer.” “Raja” means “hope” in Arabic, while Talib describes a “seeker of knowledge.” Aayan – Means “blessing.” Akeem – Means “intelligent.” Akeem is a diminutive of Hakeem, which also means “wise” or “insightful.” Altair – Means “the flyer” when derived from the phrase "al-nasr al-tair," which means "the flying eagle.” Arif – Means “kind,” “smart,” or “wise.” In early Islam, Arif referred to a man entrusted with specific Muslim duties, such as caring for children or handling money. Ayad – Can mean “reinforcement.” Badar – Means “full moon” when based on the Arabic “badr.” Bashir – Refers to a “bringer of good news.” Ehtisham – Refers to “modesty.” Fadl – Indicates a “grace” or “bounty.” Faisan – Means “blessings” or “abundance.” Taken from the Arabic “fayd,” meaning "to overflow" or "to gush forth.” Farid – Means precious.” Idris – Means “smart” and “studious.” Idris is the prophet mentioned in the Quran and an equivalent of Enoch in the Bible. Kaysan – Means “wise.” Magomed – Means “praiseworthy” or “the praised one.” Marwa – Comes from “maruw,” meaning “minerals,” “quartz,” or “hard stone.” Mirac – Means “miracle” or “wonder.” It’s associated with "Miraj," the Prophet Muhammad's ascension to heaven. Mishal – Means “torch,” “light,” or “bright flame.” Naeem – Refers to “bliss” or “comfort.” Nazir – Given to a “warner” or “inspector.” Rahim – Means “merciful,” and is one of the names given to Allah in Islam and comes from the Arabic root “R-h-m.” Raja – Means “hope” in Arabic, “king” in Sanskrit, and “paradise” in Russian. Rumi – Means “glory of the faith.” Suleiman – Means “man of peace.” It’s the Arabic form of Solomon. Talib – Means “seeker of knowledge,” and was a name given to Abu Talib, the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad. Tameem – Means “complete” or “perfect.” Uzair – Means “helper” or “strength” as the Arabic variation of Ezra. Yushua – Means “God delivers.” It derives from the Hebrew Yehoshua. Zaki – Means “virtuous.” Zayan – Means “graceful,” “beautiful,” or “adornment.” Zidane – Means “growth,” “increase,” or “abundance.”
Royal Arabic Boy Names
Honor a long line of Arabic royal leaders with names to match. These names refer to kings, princes, and rulers throughout time. Some are associated with historical or modern-day royals, like Taimur, based on Amir Timur, a 14th-century Turco-Mongol ruler. Names like Sharif or Afran refer to a “noble” person. Afran – Means “noble” and indicates “high status” in Arabic and Persian culture. Afshin – Means “brave” and is inspired by a Sogdian senior general named Khaydhar ibn Kawus al-Afshin. Akbar – Means “greatest” or “most senior.” It’s associated with the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great. Ali – Means “elevated” or “exalted.”Used by Ali ibn Abi Talib, the 4th caliph of Islam. Almir – Means “the prince.” Amir – Originally referred to as a “commander of the army.” It became known as “prince” when given as a title to a ruler’s son. Amiran – Refers to a “royal commander.” Dayyan – A mighty ruler. Dean – Indicates a “highness of religion.” Kiyan – Means “king” or “royalty.” Kunwar – Given to a “young prince.” Malik – Means “king” or “sovereign.” Miran – Means “prince,” “ruler,” or “commander.” Nabil – Refers to someone who is “noble” or “highborn.” Rafee – Means “exalted,” “noble,” or “elevated.” Raamiz – Means “honorable” and “respected.” Shaharyar – Means “king” or “ruler.” Sharif – Means “noble,” “highborn,” and “honorable,” and is a title given to the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Shazil – Means “king,” and also “to shine” or “to illuminate.” Shezin – Refers to a “noble prince with a regal bearing.” Sikander – An Arabic form of Alexander, which was used for Alexander the Great. Sultan – Means “ruler,” also referring to “strength” and “rulership,” from “sulṭah,” meaning “authority” or “power.” Tajuddin – Means “crown of the religion.” Taimur – Means “king,” and is associated with Amir Timur, a 14th-century Turco-Mongol ruler. Taj – Means “crown” in Arabic, and is unisex. Wazir – Means “minister” or “advisor,” and is linked to Wazir Akbar Khan, an emir of Afghanistan. Yusuf – Means “leader,” but originally meant “God increases” in Arabic. It also means “a charming prince” and a “commander.” Zaeem – Means “leader” or “chief” in Arabic. Zaim – Describes a “leader” or “general.” Zeyah – Means “light” and is named for Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the former president of the United Arab Emirates.
Cute Arabic Boy Names
Go for a name as adorable as any baby boy. Some of the following names simply sound cute, like Khalil, meaning “friend,” or Niam, meaning “happiness.” Others have cute meanings, including Said, meaning “joy,” or Zameer, meaning a “heart.” Amil – Means “worker” or “laborer.” Arham – Means “merciful.” Ariz – Means “respectable.” Bassam – Means “smiling profusely” or refers to “one who smiles often.” Dayam – 'black night' and 'extremely dark', as well as 'baby fox' and 'baby bear'. Ghaith – Refers to the kind of “rain” that comes after a drought. Halil – Means “a close friend” in Arabic and Turkish. Kamran – Means “happy” and “blessed.” Kashif – Given to “one who unveils truth.” Khalil – Means “friend” and specifically refers to a “friend of Allah” in the Quran. Khayr – Refers to “goodness” or “well-being.” Leith – Means “lion” or “brave strength.” It also means “wet” in Scottish. Mikail – Used to describe the archangel Michael, meaning “who is like God.” Muhib – “Means “lover.” Nabeel – Means “noble,” “honorable,” or “highborn.” Nasir – Means “helper” and “one who gives victory” and was used in the Quran to indicate “divine support.” Niam – Refers to “happiness,” along with “blessings” and “God’s favors.” Nizar – Means “little” or “small,” in addition to “spectator” or “viewer.” Nuh – Means “rest” or “consolation” as an Arabic form of the prophet Noah. Owais – Can means “gift” or “little wolf.” Rohan – “Means “kindhearted.” Sadiq – Means “friend,” and comes from the Arabic root “sdk,” meaning “honesty,” “sincerity,” “truth,” and “loyalty.” Said – Means “blessed,” “good luck,” “joy,” and “patient.” It’s derived from the Arabic “sa’īd,” meaning “happy” and “lucky.” Tafeef – Means “purity,” “refinement,” and “excellence.” Taha – Means “pure” or “clean,” and is the name of the 20th chapter (surah) of the Quran. Tayyib – Describes someone who is “good-natured.” Tigran – Means “tiger,” and also “arrow” or “grace.” Waleed – Refers to a “newborn child,” and sometimes appears as Waliullah, meaning “friend of Allah.” Zakee – Means “virtuous.” Zameer – Means “heart” In Arabic, and also “conscience.”
Powerful Arabic Boy Names
Celebrate strength with names that evoke images of victory and protection. Some examples include “Azim,” meaning “mighty” and “magnificent.” Others, like Barak, mean “lightning,” and became popular with President Barack Obama. More specifically, Faris refers to a brave knight. Aashif – Means “bold” or “courageous.” Aasim – Refers to a “protector,” “guardian,” or “defender.” Abbas – Means everything from “lion,” “stern,” and “austere,” to “father.” Adil – Adil is a form of Adel, an Arabic boy’s name meaning “fairness” and “justice.” Amzi – Linked to Hebrew, where it means “my strength.” Arshad – Refers to a person who is “most rightly guided.” Azim – Means “mighty,” “magnificent,” or “exalted.” Aziz – Means “powerful” and “beloved.” Barak – Means “lightning.” It originally meant “to bless” or “to kneel.” Basil – Means “fearless.” Chabuk – Means “agile.” Chawish – Describes a “leader of the tribe.” Daniyal – Means “God is my judge.” It’s an Arabic form of Daniel. Faiz – Means “victorious.” Fakhr – Describes “glory” or “pride.” Faris – Refers to a brave “horseman” or “knight.” Farouk – Means “the one who distinguishes between right and wrong.” Firuz – Means “successful.” Ghazi – Refers to a “warrior.” Hassam – Means “sharp sword” and is a Pakistani word meaning “weapon.” Imran – Means “prosperity,” “civilization,” or “happiness.” Ismail – Means “God has heard,” and is derived from the Hebrew Yishma'el. Junaid – Means “little warrior” or “young soldier,” and is a diminutive form of “jund,” meaning "army.” Luai – Refers to a “protector” or “shield-bearer.” Muzzaffar – Means “victorious,” “triumphant,” or “conqueror.” Nael – Refers to someone “who is successful.” It can also mean “to attain” or “blessing.” Qadir – Means “powerful” and “capable.” Al-Qadir is one of the 99 names for God in Islam. Saif – Means “sword.” Salah – Means “peace,” along with “mission” and “righteousness” in Arabic. Salah also refers to the daily ritual prayer of Muslims. Salil – It can mean “sword,” “son,” or “everlasting.”
Beautiful Arabic Boy Names
Acknowledge beauty and grace with these meaningful names. Some of these names, like Salem, mean “peaceful.” Others are more specific, like Hamsa, named for a symbol representing the “5 fingers of the hand.” Hamal means “lamb,” while Badr refers to the “full moon on its 14th night.” Badr – In the Quran, Badr officially means the “full moon on its 14th night” or the “ecclesiastical full moon.” Ehsan – Means “kindness,” “perfection,” and “excellence.” Taken from the Arabic “iḥsān,” meaning “a high level of spiritual worship and moral conduct.” Hamal – A name given to a “lamb” or “ram.” Fidyan – Given to “one who sacrifices.” Gulab – Means “rose” or “rose water.” Hamsa – Refers to the palm-shaped amulet sign of protection. It’s unisex and comes from the Arabic “hamsa,” meaning “5 fingers of the hand.” Harshit – Means “joyful.” Harun – Means “mountain of strength” as the Arabic variation of Aaron. Ilyas – A variation of Elijah, meaning “the lord is my God.” Izzan – Means “submission to God’s will.” Jamal – Means “beauty” and “grace.” Lutfi – Refers to someone who is “kind,” “gentle,” and “gracious.” Maaz – Describes “one who seeks refuge.” Mazin – Given to someone who “brings rain” or “rain clouds.” Muhsin – Describes a “benefactor.” Murshad – Given to a “guide” or “leader.” Nahyan – Means “wise.” Qamar – A unisex name meaning “moon.” Rafiq – Means companion, and is derived from the Arabic “rafīq,” meaning “intimate friend” and “comrade” in Arabic. It can also mean “gentle” and “kind.” Rayan – Used to describe “land that is lush.” Riyaz – Means “gardens” and “meadow” in Arabic. Ronak – Describes “radiance.” Salem – Means “peaceful,” “complete,” “safe,” and “secure.” Shakir – Means “grateful” or “thankful.” Sinan – Means “spear head.” Tariq – Means “visitor” and “morning star.” It comes from the Arabic “ṭaraqa,” meaning “to strike.” Walid – Refers to a “newborn son.” Zain – Means “beautiful” and “graceful.” Zarif – Means “elegant,” “charming,” or “graceful.” Ziyan – Refers to “adornment” or “beautification.”
Cool Arabic Boy Names
Enjoy names that don’t fit one particular category. While most of these Arabic names for boys aren’t modern, they’re not considered typical. Charagh can refer to the “sun” or a “lamp.” Mansour means “victory” or “one helped by God.” Afaq – A unisex name which means “horizon,” “skyline,” or “vastness.” Anjum – Refers to “stars,” as well as “gathering” or “assembly.” Ashaz – Refers to “one in a million.” Ayer – Means “heir to a fortune.” Ayer was an old Arabic term for the household member in charge of the family estate. Charagh – Means everything from the “sun” to “lamp,” “lantern,” or “light.” Haytham – Refers to a “young eagle.” Ikhlas – Describes “sincerity” or “devotion.” Irfan – Means “knowledge” or “wisdom.” Javed – Means “eternal” or “everlasting.” Khurshid – Indicates “the sun.” Lut – Describes a “covering” or “veil.” Maqbool – Means “approved” or “liked.” Mansour – Comes from the Arabic root “naṣr,” meaning “victory.” It also means “one helped by God.” Maruf – Means “renowned.” It represents anyone “well-known,” “universally accepted,” “good,” “beneficial,” and “equity.” Mecca – Refers to a “holy place” or “sanctuary.” Mehtab – Describes the “radiance of the moon.” Mukhtar – Means “chosen.” Nur – A unisex name meaning “illumination” or “radiance.” Persian – Given to someone of Persian descent. Qamari – Means “moon-like,” while derived from “qamar,” meaning “the moon.” Rayyan – Means “luxuriant,” “well-watered,” or “quenched.” Riyas – Refers to “gardens” or “meadows.” Shahab – Indicates a “shooting star.” Shahid – Means “witness,” also means “beloved” in Persian, and refers to a martyr in Islam. Shayaan – Means “intelligent,” or refers to a person who is “worthy” or “deserving.” Talaal – Describes “dew” or “gentle rain.” Tanweer – Can mean “illumination.” Waqqas – Given to a “warrior” or someone who is “brave.” Wasim – Means “handsome,” as well as “graceful” and “good-looking.” Yagana – A unisex name given to someone who is “one of a kind.”
Rare Arabic Names
Search for names that might be one in a million. If rare boy names are what you’re after, these names are much less common in Arabic traditions. Iskander is the Arabic form of Alexander, meaning “defender of mankind.” Luqman refers to a “wise or “understanding person, while Huzaifah means “to preserve” or “to guard.” Ahnaf – Given to “one who is upright.” Amanullah – Refers to the “safety and security of God” or the “protection of God.” Arahaan – Describes a “leader.” Emad – Means “support,” “pillar,” or “foundation.” Ghakhtalay – Describes someone who is “strong and powerful.” Ghulam – Means “servant boy” or “youth.” Hidayat – Means “guidance” or “on the right path.” Hisham – Means “generous.” Huzaifah – Means “to preserve” or “to guard.” Iskander – Means “defender of mankind.” Jabir – Means “the comforter.” Jabir was known in Arabic culture as the person who comforted the grieving. Khizar – Refers to “the green one” or “verdant.” Luqman – Means a “wise” or “understanding” one. Mareek – Means “alchemical” while referring to murdasanj, a chemical used in alchemy during the Medieval period. Miqdad – Refers to one who “measures or determines.” Moiz – Refers to “one who strengthens.” Muslih – Given to a “reformer” or “peacemaker.” Noraiz – Means “precious light,” using the root “nur,” meaning “light.” Ridwan – Means “satisfaction,” “pleasure,” or “contentment.” It’s also the name of the angel in Islam who guards the gates of Paradise. Rooh – Means “soul” or “spirit.” Ruman – Means “abundance” or “beauty.” Sabur – Means “patient” or “enduring.” It’s derived from the Arabic "sabr," meaning “self-restraint” and “perseverance.” Safwan – Describes something that is “pure” or “clear.” Sayeshan – Means “thoughtful and talented.” Seyah – Means “strength from God,” but also means “place names” and refers to a suburb in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Shawaiz – Can mean “intelligent.” Shukri – Comes from the Arabic verb “šukr,” meaning “to be thankful.” It also means “grateful.” Siraaj – Refers to a “lamp,” “light,” or source of “illumination.” Turhan – Given to an “excellent hero.” Yaqeen – Means “unwavering conviction” or “absolute certainty.”
Choosing the Best Arabic Boy Names
Make a list of names you like (and don’t like). Name consultant Sonya Prior suggests “listing 5 names you like and 5 names you don’t like” as you’re considering Arabic boy names for your little one. A list like this allows you to notice what names you’re initially attracted to, since you’ll likely “change your mind 100 times” during the naming process. You may discover you’re also set on names starting with a particular letter. If you love Arabic names for boys starting with “S,” you can make a list using just “s” names, like Sami, Suleiman, or Sadiq.
Consider names that reflect what you love about Arabic culture. If names associated with royalty, like Amir (meaning “prince”), are your favorite, look for royal Arabic boy names like Amir, Sharif, or Sultan. If you’re searching for a beautiful Arabic name for a boy, think about names with meanings like “moon,” “beautiful,” and “graceful.” Likewise, cute Arabic boy names, including Leith, Niam, or Taha, can help you find names that are the most meaningful to you. Try out our random name generator to help you brainstorm!
Combine a family name with a modern middle name. Baby name expert Tara Collins says, “Choose a family name for the first name, and then a unique name to pair it with as a middle name to offer the best of both worlds.” For example, if you’re torn between a traditional Arabic name and a modern, earthy name, like a tree or bird name for boys, try something like Ahmad Ashton or Khalil Starling. It’s also possible to reverse your traditional and modern choices. For example, name your little boy Corbin Zahir.
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