Dictionary of Muslim Names

Muslim names have meanings, and these meanings typically have their roots in the Qur'an. Most Muslim names are derived from Arabic, because Arabic is the language of the Qur'an, and to Muslims the Qur'anic roots of their names are important — these names give a person a particular identity.

Like a standard language dictionary, this book contains a comprehensive list of names, each with a suggested English spelling, a standard pronunciation and its meaning.

Why the Spelling Guidance Is the Useful Part

Because a name chosen in Arabic has to be written on a birth certificate in Latin letters, and that decision is permanent.

Families frequently choose a spelling that produces an unintended pronunciation for the rest of a child's life, or one that separates siblings' names that share a root. Seeing a considered transliteration alongside the pronunciation prevents both.

A Word Worth Adding

The Prophet ﷺ changed the names of several Companions whose names carried poor meanings, which establishes that meaning matters rather than sound alone. Checking before naming is a Sunnah, not merely a courtesy.

Other Dictionaries and References