Gender: Feminine
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: “mercy.”
The name is derived from the Arabic word for “mercy.”
As of 2010, Rahma was the 492nd most popular female name in France.
The name is borne by Jordanian princess Rahma bint El Hassan (b.1969)
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Arabic سامية
Meaning: “elevated; high; lofty.”
(sah-MEE-ah)
Actress and comedienne, Kathy Najimy bestowed this Arabic beauty upon her daughter (named in honour of Kathy’s Lebanese-born mother). Samia is a feminine form of Sami, and is used throughout the Islamic world, though Samia itself is used equally among Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians and Jews.
As of 2009, Samia was the 392nd most popular female name in France. Her variant spellings of Samiya just entered the U.S. top 1000, coming in as the 959th most popular female name in the United States (2011), while Samiyah ranked in slightly higher, being the 793rd most popular female name.
An Eastern European and Central Asian form is Samija.
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Arabic ميمونه میمونه
Meaning: “auspicious.”
(may-MOO-nah)
The name is derived from the Arabic ميمون, (meymewn) meaning, “auspicious.”
This was the name of one of the wives of the Prophet Mohammed. Maimouna bint al-Harith (594-674).
Maimouna appears under several different transliterations. In the Maghreb, it is often transliterated to Maïmouna (the French spelling).
As of 2009, Maïmouna was the 404th most popular female name in France.
Other forms of the name include:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: “newborn.”
(WAH-leed)
The name is derived the Arabic ولد (walada), “to give birth.”
It is primarily used in honour of Al-Walid I (668 – 715) and Ummayid Caliph who had ruled in the early 700s. He is known for instituting Arabic as the official language across the Islamic World and his conquer of Spain.
As of 2009, Walid was the 163rd most popular male name in France.
Other forms of the name include:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic سامي
Meaning: “high; elevated; supreme.”
(SAH-mee)
The name is derived from the Arabic meaning, “high; elevated; supreme.”
However, it could also be a Finnish short form of Samuel. In Finland, it has often been used as an independent given name and in recent years is most likely used in reference to the language and ethnic group which is found in Finland, Norway and Russia, perhaps among people of Sami heritage. Sami is also the name of a lake in Finland.
As of 2009, Sami was the 183rd most popular male name in France while in 2010 he came in as the 193rd most popular male name in the Netherlands.
A feminine form of the Arabic is Samia.
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic كريم Карим
Meaning: “noble; generous.”
(KAH-REEM)
The name comes directly from the Arabic word for, “noble; generous.” In Islam, Karim is one of the 99 designations of Allah and is used to describe the Qu’ran (Al-Qur’an Al-Karim), literally meaning “the Noble Qu’ran.”
The name is used throughout the Islamic world, but is also used among Middle Eastern Christians.
The name has been occasionally used in Latin America, in Brazil, it seems to be a Portugized spelling for the Scandinavian female name Karin, but in this case it is pronounced (kah-REEN).
The name has numerous famous bearers.
As of 2009, Karim was the 260th most popular male name in France.
Other forms of the name include:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic عادل
Meaning: “just; fair.”
The name is derived from the Arabic adjective, عدل (adala), meaning, “just.”
The name is used throughout the Islamic world, though, the it is also used among Middle Eastern Christians.
As of 2009, Adel was the 285th most popular male name while Adil was the 378th most popular.
Other forms of the name include:
A feminine form is Adila (Arabic) and Adile (Turkish)
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic رضاء
Meaning: “contentment.”
The name is derived from the Arabic word and virtue, riḍā, a trait discussed in Sufism and the Qu’ran. Riḍā is used to describe the kind of pleasure or contentment one feels when they are following the commands and will of God and the approval that God bestows upon the follower therein.
The name is especially common among Shi’a Muslims, usually bestowed in reference to the concept or in honour of the 8th Shi’a Iman, ‘Alī al-Riḍā, also known as Ali Reza (765-818 CE).
As of 2009, its Maghrebin form of Reda was the 287th most popular male name in France. Other forms of the name include:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic سعيد
Meaning: “happy.”
(sah-EED)
The name comes directly from the Arabic meaning, “happy.”
As of 2009, Said was the 459th most popular male name in France.
Other forms of the name include:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Arabic إدريس or Welsh
Welsh Meaning: “ardent lord.”
Arabic Meaning: uncertain
Idris is of two different origins and is used in two separate cultures. In Welsh, it is composed of the elements, udd (lord; prince) and ris (ardent, enthusiastic.” In Welsh mythology it was borne by a giant who used the mountain peak of Cadair Idris (Seat of Idris) as an observatory. Legends claims that if you spend one night on the mountain peak you wake up either as a madmen or as a great poet. The name was also borne by a 7th-century Welsh prince, Idris ap Gwyddno.
In the Qu’ran, the name is borne by a prophet, traditionally ascribed to being the same as the Biblical prophet Enoch. Many modern Islamic scholars now believe that Idris was a separate person from Enoch. In this case, the name is believed to be of pre-Islamic and possibly of non-Arabic roots of undeterminate etymology, some, however have connected the name with the Arabic root d-r-s, meaning, “study.”
As of 2009, Idris was the 479th most popular male name in France. In France it is used both among the Bretons and among recent Muslim immigrants.
Other forms of the Arabic include: