Rawda(h), Ravza

• Origin: Arabic روضة
• Meaning: “garden; meadow.”
• Gender: Feminine
• Pronunciation: ROW-dah; Turk (ROW-zah)

Rawdah روضة comes directly from the Arabic word for a “garden” or “meadow.” It is likely used by non-Arab Muslim parents in reference to Rawḍah ash-Sharifah (Arabic: روضة الشريفة‎, lit. ‘The Noble Garden’), which is a place located between the minbar and burial chamber of the Prophet Muhammed in Mecca.

The word itself is not used as a given-name in Arabic-speaking countries, but is used in non-Arabic Islamic countries, such as Southeast Asia and Turkey.

Its Turkish form of Ravza is currently the 78th most popular female name in Turkey. This form is also used among Bosnians & Albanians.

Sources

• https://www.behindthename.com/name/rawda
• https://www.behindthename.com/name/ravza
• https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/rawdah/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawda
• http://www.turkstat.gov.tr/PreTablo.do?alt_id=1059
• https://forvo.com/word/ravza/