Category Archives: Urdu Names

Shams

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  • Origin: Arabic شمس
  • Meaning: “sun.”
  • Gender: Unisex
  • (SHEMZ)

The name comes directly from the Arabic word for “sun.” It was the name of a Pre-Islamic South Arabian sun goddess, the equivalent of the North Arabian diety, Nuha.

A strictly feminine form is Shamsa شمسة

Maghrebi spellings are Chams and Chamsa, a Comorian feminine form is Chamsia. Turkish forms are Şems and Şemsa.

The name shares an etymological link with the Hebrew male name, Samson.

It was borne by Shams Pahlavi, one of the sisters of (1917-1996), a member of the Iranian royal family.

In recent years, it has become particularly trendy among females in the Gulf Arab countries

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Shouq

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  • Origin: Arabic شوق
  • Meaning: “longing; yearning; craving; desire; wish.”
  • Gender: Female
  • Pron: (SHOOK, SHOKE)

The name comes directly from the Arabic word شَوْق, which is ultimately from the Aramaic Shuqa (שׁוּקָא) of the same meaning.

It is mainly used in Gulf Arab countries and is occasionally used among the Muslim South-Asian community.

Other transliterations include: Shawq, and Shouk.

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Shanzae, Shanzay

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  • Origin: Persian شانزے
  • Meaning: royal woman; woman of dignity
  • Gender: Feminine
  • Use: Urdu, Persian

The name is composed the Old Persian elements Shah (royalty) or from the Old Persian phrase, Shah- an -zay (lit daughter of king/royal princess) or Shaan-zeh (Of dignity/magnificent).

This name seems to be exclusively used among Pakistanis, I could not find any information in any Persian sources or any indication of its use among Farsi-Speakers.

Other forms are Shanzeh and Shawnzay.

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Faaria, Faria, Farya

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  • Origin: Arabic فارعة
  • Meaning: “lofty; tall; towering; slender; slim; beautiful; handsome; pretty.”
  • Gender: feminine
  • Pronunciation: Arabic: fah-REE…AH; Urdu: FAR-yah

The name is derived from the Arabic word فَارِع (fari) which can mean “tall; lofty” and also “slim; slender” as well as “beautiful; handsome; pretty.” It is derived from the Arabic verbal root ف ر ع (f-r-‘) meaning, “to ascend.” The same root shares is also related فَرْع‎ (farʿ), meaning “tree branch; hair; mountain top; upper part,” which is why some websites list it as meaning, “beautiful hair.”

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Nuralain, Noorulain

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  • Origin: Arabic نور العين
  • Meaning: “light of the eye.”
  • Gender: feminine
  • Arab pron (NOO-roo-LINE); Urdu pron (NOO-rul-en)

The name is composed of the Arabic words, nur نُور (light), ul-Ain عَين (the eye; spring, fountain), hence it could also take on the meaning of “light of the spring or fountain.”

Noorulain or Noor-ul-Ain is a common name among Indian Muslims and Pakistanis, though it is not necessarily a name with strong religious connotations in the Arabic-speaking world itself.

It is the name of the female protagonist in a popular Pakistani romantic drama series of the same name (2018).

The Noor-ul-Ain is the name of one of the largest pink diamonds in the world and the tiara it is mounted in, which was made for Empress Farah Pahlavi’s wedding in 1958.

Other forms include the Malay and Indonesian, Norain, Nurain and Noorain.

Its Maghrebi forms are Noorelein, Noureleine, Noraleine, Nureleine & Nurelène which are sometime mistranslated by onomasticians as modern French or Flemish combinations of Nora & Madeleine, which may be the case in some instances.

Other transliterations include: Noor Alain, Nur Alain, Noor-ul-Ain, Nur-ul-Ain, Noraline, Noralin, Noralyn, Nour Elain, Nurelein, Nuraline, Nurelen, Nurelayne & Nuralyn.

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Safin, Safana, Safina

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Safin سَفِين is an Arabic male name that derives from the Arabic root, S-F-N س ف ن meaning, “ship.” Safin itself is the plural form and therefore means “ships.” The singular form of Safina سَفِينة (ship) is used as a female given-name. Another feminine form, which is Safana سَفّانة, literally meaning “boatwright” in modern Arabic derives from the same root but may have had a connotation of a precious gem or pearl in old Arabic and was also used as a term of endearment for a daughter.

The name is used in reference to “سفينة نوح” (safinat Nuh), which is Arabic for Noah’s ark.

Other forms include: Safeen (masculine), Saffanah (feminine), Safanah (feminine) & Safinah (feminine).

A Tatar form is Сәфинә” (Säfinä).

Safina is used throughout the Islamic world.

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Jashan

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  • Origin: Hindi जशन
  • Meaning: “festivities.”
  • Gender: masculine
  • Pronunciation: JAH-shahn

The name comes directly from the Hindi word जशन meaning, “festivities.”

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Armita

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  • Origin: Persian آرمیتا
  • Meaning: “holy devotion; creative harmony.”
  • Gender: feminine
  • Pronunciation: ar-MEE-tah

The name is derived from the Avestan Ārmaiti which refers to “holy devotion” or “divine creativity.”

In Zoroastrianism, Spenta Armaiti is one of the Amesha Spentas, which emanate from the Ahura Mazda. Later, Spenta Armaiti came to be personified as a divine female being, representing motherly and wifely devotion as well as the earth, she was synchronized with the Armenian goddess Sandaramet.

In the Zoroastrian calendar, the 5th day of the 12th month, which is called Sepandārmazgān, is her holiest day and a festival in honour of women and love was held in her honour.

Armita is used as a female give-name among Persians of all faiths and has been used in India & Pakistan.

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Ajay

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  • Origin: Sanskrit
  • Bengali: অজয়
  • Devangari: अजय
  • Gujarati: અજય
  • Hindi/Marathi: अजय
  • Kannada: ಅಜಯ್
  • Malayalam: അജയ്
  • Tamil: அஜய்
  • Telugu: అజయ్
  • Meaning: “invincible; unconquerable.”
  • Gender: masculine
  • Pronunciation: uh-JYE

The name is from the Sanskrit a अ (not) & jaya जय (victory).

The name appeared in the British Top 500 Male Names between 1996-2011, and peaked at #300 in 2003.

Other forms Ajai and Ajit.

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Duha

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  • Origin: Arabic ضحى
  • Meaning: “forenoon.”
  • Gender: unisex
  • DOO-hah

The name comes directly from the Arabic word for forenoon or late morning. In Islam, it is used in reference to Salat ad-Duha صَلَاة الضحى‎‎, a voluntary prayer that is said between Fajr and Dhuhr and is used mainly for the atonement of sins.

It is also the name of the 93rd chapter in the Qu’ran, al-Ḍuḥā الضحى‎, (the Morning).

As a given-name, it is traditionally unisex, but has been more often bestowed on females.

Other forms include:

  • Duha Духа (Albanian, Arabic (standard), Bashkir, Bosnian, Chechen, Kazakh, Kurdish, Turkish)
  • Zuha ज़ुहा (Azeri, Hindi)
  • Doha, Dohaa للال چاشت (Bengali, Urdu)
  • Dhuha (Javanese, Malaysian)
  • Zoha ضحی (Persian)
  • Zuho Зуҳо (Tajik, Uzbek)

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