Category Archives: Arabic Names

Luay, Luai

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Musk Ox (Ovibos moschatus) viviparous
Musk Ox (Ovibos moschatus) viviparous by newyorkpubliclibrary is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
  • Origin: Arabic لؤيّ
  • Meaning: “wild ox; protector.”
  • Gender: Male
  • (LOO-iey)

The name is derived from the Arabic لأًى (laʾan) “wild ox,” which can also have the euphemism of a shield or protector. Interestingly enough, it may share the same etymological root as the Hebrew female name, Leah.

The name is borne by Lu’ayy ibn Ghalib (3rd-century C.E.) who was the ancestor of the Islamic prophet Muhammed.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Luaj (Albanian/Bosnian)
  • Lüey (Azeri/Turkish)
  • Louay (Maghrebi Arabic)
  • Louie (Maghrebi Arabic)
  • Loay لؤی (Urdu)

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Mizan

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  • Origin: Arabic موازين‎; Ethiopic ሚዛን
  • Meaning: “balance; scales.”
  • Gender: Male

The name comes from the ancient Semitic root √W-Z-N / √ʾ-Z-N, meaning “to weigh, measure, or balance.”

Its Arabic use is from mīzān (ميزان) → “balance, scales,” appearing throughout the Qur’an as the mīzān al-ʿadl — the scales of divine justice and its Geʽez / Amharic use comes from mäzan / mizan (መዛን), meaning “measure, equilibrium, fairness.”

Compare to Hebrew moznaim (מאזניים) “the balances,” also symbolizing moral and cosmic fairness and the name of the astrological sign of Libra, though it is not used as a given-name.

In the Islamic world, Mizan represents the moral equilibrium of the universe — the balance by which every soul’s deeds are weighed.

In Ethiopian usage, Mizan retains the literal sense of “measure” but has become a spiritual and philosophical name, expressing inner balance and moral clarity. It’s also a familiar place name — as in Mizan Teferi, “Prince of Balance,” a town in southwest Ethiopia.

A Kurdish form is Mîzan.

Mizani is the Swahili form and is a unisex name.

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Mardiyyah

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  • Origin: Arabic مَرضِيَّة
  • Meaning: “pleasing; satisfactory.”
  • Variant transcription: Marziyyah, Mardhiyah
  • Gender: Female

The name is derived from the Arabic root ر ض ي (r-ḍ-y), meaning “to be pleased, content, or satisfied.” The form mardiyyah is the feminine passive participle.

It is a Qurʾānic name, appearing in Sūrat al-Fajr (89:28–30).

International Variations include:

  • Mərziyə (Azeri)
  • Mardhiah, Mardiah (Malay, Indonesian)
  • Marzieh, Marziyeh مرضیه (Persian)
  • Märziya Мәрзия (Tatar)

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Muizz

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  • Origin: Arabic معِزّ
  • Meaning: “to give honour; to empower.”
  • Variant transcription: Muiz.
  • Gender: Male

An Arabic male name derived from the verb ʿazza (عزّ) meaning “to be mighty, strong, honored.”

In Islam, al-Muʿizz (ٱلْمُعِزّ) — “The Bestower of Honor” — is one of the 99 Names of Allah.

The most notable bearer is al-Muʿizz li-Dīn Allāh (953 – 975 CE), the fourth Fatimid caliph, renowned for founding the city of Cairo (al-Qāhira) in 969 CE.

It is used throughout the Islamic world, but is particularly common among Muslims in Nigeria.

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Lamis

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  • Origin: Arabic لَميس
  • Meaning: “soft.”
  • Gender: Female

The name comes directly from the Arabic لمِيس ‎(lamīs), meaning “soft; tender; soft to the touch.”

An Urdu and Bengali form is Lamisa.

Alternately, it appears in Greek mythology, in the epic Dionysiaca by Nonnus of Panopolis as the name of one of the leaders of the satyrs who joined the army of Dionysus in his campaign against India. In that context, the meaning of the name is not clarified and the mythological reference is very obscure.

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Mawaddah

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  • Origin: Arabic مَوَدَّة
  • Meaning: “affection; love; friendship”
  • Variant transcription: Mawada, Mawadda & Mouadda (Maghrebi Arabic).
  • Gender: Female

The name is from the Arabic word مَوَدَّة (mawaddah), meaning, “affection; love; friendship.” It has the same sense as the Greek word and name, Agape. It is ultimately derived from the Arabic root و-د-د (w-d-d), meaning, “love; affection; compassion.”

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Mayada

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  • Origin: Arabic ميادة
  • Meaning: “to sway back and forth.”
  • Variant Transcription: Mayyada.
  • Gender: Female

From the Arabic verb تَمايَدَ (tamayada), meaning “to sway gracefully, to move with a gentle or elegant motion.” It comes from the triliteral root م ي د (m-y-d), which carries connotations of swaying, oscillating, or walking with poise and pride.

It is mainly used in the Levant, Gulf Countries and Sudan.

Two notable bearers are Syrian singer singer, Mayada El-Hennawy (b. 1959) and Palestinian-German runner, Mayada Al-Sayad (b. 1992).

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Mumtaz

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  • Origin: Arabic ممتاز
  • Meaning: “excellent; distinguished.”
  • Gender: Unisex

The name is derived from the Arabic root م-ت-ز (m-t-z), meaning “to be distinguished, eminent, or excellent.” As an adjective, Mumtaz literally means “distinguished,” “excellent,” “outstanding,” or “exalted.”

It is often used as a word of exclamation in the same way “that’s cool” or “that’s great” is used in English.

It is also used as a given-name. In the Arabic-speaking world, it is a masculine name but in Southeast Asia, it is unisex. A notable female bearer was Mumtaz Mahal (1593–1631),
the beloved wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, for whom the Taj Mahal was built. Her real name was Arjumand Banu Begum, but she was titled Mumtaz Mahal, meaning “Distinguished One of the Palace.”

Mümtaz is the Turkish form, it is mostly masculine but is occasionally used on females.

A strictly feminine form is Mumtaza(h)

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Numan

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  • Origin: Arabic نُعْمان
  • Meaning: “blood; red; bliss; anemone flower.”
  • Transliterations: Nu’man; Nouman (Maghrebi Arabic; Persian); Noman নোমান (Bengali, Tatar, Urdu)
  • Gender: Male
  • Pron (NOO-mahn)

The name comes directly from the Arabic word نُعْمان (nu’man), which is a poetic term describing “blood” as in a type of blood that brings vitality and beauty. It is also the word for the colour crimson and the anemone flower. It is ultimately from the root n–ʿ–m (ن ع م), which shares the same root with Naim نعم (comfort, tranquility, luxury, ease).

Numan ibn al-Munḏir (d. 602 CE) was one of the last Lakhmid kings of al-Ḥīrah, a pre-Islamic Arab Christian kingdom in southern Iraq. He is remembered in Arabic literature for his eloquence and patronage of poets.

In early Islamic history, Numan ibn Bashir al-Ansari (d. 684 CE) was a Companion of the Prophet Muḥammad and a prominent figure in the first Islamic century.

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Hierotheos

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  • Origin: Greek Ἱερόθεος
  • Meaning: “sanctified by God.”
  • Gender: Male
  • Eng (hy-RO-thee-us)

The name is composed of the Greek words, ἱερός (holy to; sacred to) and θεός (God). It first appears as a given name in Christian tradition, being borne by the first bishop of Athens who was said to have been converted and trained by St. Paul himself.

The modern Greek form is ‘Ierotheos and the designated name-day in Greece is September 29th.

The name has also been borne by several Greek patriarchs.

International Variations

  • Hiruthiyus هيروثيوس (Arabic – Egyptian)
  • Hieroteu (Catalan, Portuguese)
  • Hiérothée (French)
  • Hierotheusz (Hungarian)
  • Ieroteo (Italian)
  • Hieroteusz (Polish)
  • Ierotei (Romanian)
  • Ierofej Иерофей (Russian)
  • Jerotej Јеротеј (Serbian)
  • Hierotej (Slovenian)
  • Jeroteo (Spanish)
  • Yerofej Єрофей (Ukrainian)

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