The construction of Arabic names is quite different from what we are used to in Brazil. As it is a language that aggregates countries from the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Western Asia, the composition of these names can vary a lot.
The most important thing to understand is that, in most Arabic names, especially the traditional ones, the first name comes first, followed by the father’s name plus the family name or surname last.
For example, Ahmed bin Hasher Al Maktoum, Ahamed is the first name + bin Hasher, which means he is the son of Hasher + Al Maktoum, which is the family name, refers to the tribe he belongs to.
This formation changes from society to society, in Egypt or in Lebanon it can change if the West influences a region or not.
The radical Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden, for example, has his name built on the basis of patronymic names. Osama (first name) + bin Mohammed (his father) + bin Awad (his grandfather) + bin Laden (his great-grandfather).
Formation of Arabic surnames
Arabic names usually follow five parts, some compulsory and some not.
The first is the ism, relating to the first name; the kunya is a name that does not usually appear on the birth certificate, it is like a nickname or tribute to a man or woman who has become the father or mother of a child who is a blessing.
The nasb is the patronymic name which the terms bin or ibn for sons and bint for daughters may accompany. The laqab is like an epithet for the person, for example, the character in the book “The thousand and one nights” is called Harun Al-Rashid, in whose second name means “the well-guided one”.
And lastly comes the nisba, which is the surname or family name.
In Egypt and Lebanon, it is more common for the labaq to be used than the family name (nisba).
Usually, family names or surnames relate to a geographical area or even a profession, some have no specific meaning.
It is also important to clarify that the daughter receives her father’s name and not her mother’s. This does not change even after marriage.
Common Arabic surnames
In this division, we will put some more common patronymic names and family names (surnames).
- Khan Al-Abadi
Khan, a patronymic name, arises from Urdu and means “king” or “ruler”.
Abadi is the family name or surname.
- Ibrahim Al-Maktoum
Ibrahim comes from Arabic and means “father of nations” or “friend of God”.
Maktoum, on the other hand, is a surname that is associated with a royal family, which is important in both Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.
- Mohammed Al-Kudsi
Mohammed means “praised”, and “praiseworthy”, it refers to the prophet and religious leader of the Islamic religion.
Kudsi being the family name can mean “the scholar of Euclid”. A historical personality who bore it was the politician Nazim Al-Kudsi.
- Hussain Al-Baghdadi
Hussain is the patronymic name that arises from the male name Hassan and means “handsome”, “beautifying”, or “nice”.
The surname Baghdadi can mean “the people of Baghdad”.
- Ahmad Al-Sabbah
Ahmad originates from Arabic and means “most praised”, “the most adored”, and “highly praised”.
The surname Sabbah refers to a family or tribe.
- Mustafa Al-Madini
Mustafa comes from the Arabic Mustafa and means “the chosen one”.
The family name Madini probably means “from Medina”, referring to the city in Saudi Arabia.
- Ali Al-Makki
Ali being the name by which God is called, in Arabic means “high”, “lofty”, and “noble”.
The surname Makki probably means “from Mecca”, this being a holy city in Saudi Arabia.
- Kumar Al-Rashidi
Kumar is a patronymic name meaning “boy”, or “son”.
Rashidi is a surname that refers to a tribe.
- Saleh Al-Harbi
Saleh means “virtuous” in Arabic.
The surname Harbi also comes from a tribe, becoming a family name.
- Omar Al-Makhzumi
Omar comes from the Arabic umar, ámara, and means “the one who has a long life”, “a man full of life”.
Makhzumi also refers to a tribe.
- Nair Al-Amari
The patronymic name Nair originates from the Arabic Nayir and means “bright”, and “full of light”.
The surname Amari is also associated with a family.
- Jamal Al-Haroon
Jamal originates from Arabic and means “beautiful”, “handsome”, and “handsome”.
The surname Haroon may have arisen from a first name and means “high mountain” or “elevated”.
13. Samir Al-Abdulla
The patronymic name Samir originates from Arabic and means “vigorous”, “lively”, “vivacious” “eloquent” or even “good company”, or “conversation companion”.
Abdulla is a family name that probably means “servant of Allah”, or “servant of God”. A noble personality who carries it is the Queen of Jordan, Rania Al-Abdullah.
Syrian surnames
We have separated some different Syrian surnames.
- Mahmoud
Means “praiseworthy” in Arabic.
- Al-Noury
This surname is associated with the Syrian actor/director Abbas Al-Noury.
- Qasim
This surname means ‘one who distributes or shares’.
- Fadel
Derived from a person’s name, it means “honorable”.
- Al-Atrash
A famous personality in Syria who carries it is actress Lilia Al-Atrash.
- Al-Attar
This family name is linked to the first woman to hold the position of Vice President in Syria, Najah Al-Attar.
- Al-Numan
A well-known person in Iraq who carries this surname is Aziz Saleh Al-Numan.
- Khalid
Based on a person’s name, it means “eternal” or “immortal”.
Egyptian surnames
- Elmahdy
A very popular surname in Egypt, it arises from the Arabic mahdiyy and means “the Mahdi”, meaning “the guided”, or “the rightly guided”.
- Arafa
Also derived from Arabic, this Egyptian surname means “to know”, or “to know”.
- Cohen
This Egyptian family name arises from the Hebrew kohen and means “priest”.
A well-known historical personality is the Israeli spy Eli Cohen.
- Mesbah
This surname probably arises from the Arabic Misbah and means “luminary”, “light”, or “illumination”.
- Mubarak
This surname probably arises from the Arabic Mubarak and means ‘lucky’, and ‘blessed’.
A famous personality who carries it is the former president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak.
- Badawi
A name originating from the Bedouin tribes inhabiting the desert. It means “inhabitant of the desert”.
- Gamal
It means “beauty”. It is a variant of the Egyptian name Jamla.
- Amin
It means “true” or “trustworthy”. It is usually accompanied by the prefix AI.
- Nabil (Nabeel)
Means “noble”.
Lebanese surnames
- Fakhry
This surname comes from the Arabic fakara and means “to boast, to be proud”.
A well-known personality who carries it is the Lebanese journalist Ghida Fakhry.
- Bazzi
This surname probably came from an Arabic word that means “adopted brothers”.
- Tawil
With uncertain meaning, this surname probably came from Arabic and refers to tall people.
One famous personality who possesses it is former Miss Lebanon, Rosarita Tawil.
- El-Din
It means “faith”.
- Aboud
This means “devout worshiper”.
- El Khoury
Means “high priest or rank”.
- Gibran
This means “to repair”.
- Saad
Means “prosperity”.
See also:
- 104 Italian surnames in brazil: discover the origin and meaning
- 317 American surnames (male and female)
- The 48 most beautiful American female names
- 71 Most common surnames in Brazil
- 31 Spanish surnames and their meanings
- The 70 cute short names for girls
- 60 Origin of Brazilian surnames
- The most beautiful names that start with A (male and female)