300 Modern & Unique Muslim Boy Names With Meanings


There are around 1.9 billion Muslims around the world. Muslims believe there is one true God, called Allah. The root word of Islam is “Salam” which means “peace.” I have hand-picked 300 Muslim boy names with meanings included.

List Of Unique & Modern Muslim Baby Boy Names With Their Meanings:

Sufyan

Sufyan has Arabic origin and means ”light” or ”radiant.”

Ikrima

Pigeon.

Atif

Kind.

Shamil

”All-embracing.” Imam Shamil resisted Russia in Dagestan for decades.

Thamir

It comes from thamar, ”fruit”.

Fadl

From fadl, ”grace.”

Ayaan

”God’s gift.”

Najib

”Highborn.” Its Egyptian form, Naguib, belonged to Nobel winner Naguib Mahfouz.

Adam

Adam is a direct Quranic name for boys and is symbolizing “crust of the earth” or “surface.” It also has Hebrew origins that means humanity or man. According to the Christian Bible Adam was the first human being. God created Adam from the dust of the ground.

Muslih

”Peacemaker.”

Hazim

From hazm, ”firm resolve”.

Luqman

Luqman is mentioned in the Quran and has a meaning that I like, “he who gives wisdom” or ”the wise.” The story of Luqman is mentioned in Surah Luqman (31:12-19).

Wahb

”Gift.” Muhammad’s mother was Amina bint Wahb.

Asad

Lion.

Ahmad

Ahmad has Arabic origins common in the majority of the Muslim world. Ahmed is the most common variant transliteration. We also have a list of Arabic girl names, if you want to read it.

Muadh

”Protected.”

Raed

”Pioneer.”

Iqbal

”Good fortune,” and a poet who dreamed of Pakistan.

Ishaq

Isaac, ”he laughs,” after Sarah laughed at news of his birth.

Muhannad

”Sword of Indian steel.”

Yaqub

In Arabic, Jacob is Yaqub, the prophet and father of Yusuf. You will see it written Yaqoob and Yacoub.

Imtiaz

”Distinction.”

Mikail

Mikail is Michael (”who is like God?”), an archangel named in Surah Al-Baqarah.

Amr

”Life,” and Amr ibn al-As founded Fustat, first Arab city in Egypt.

Issam

Safeguard.

Rahat

Comfort.

Talib

Abu Talib, father of Talib (”seeker”), raised young Muhammad.

Zafar

”Victory.”

Qais

Qais (”firm”) ibn al-Mulawwah is Majnun, mad lover of Layla.

Fuad

”Heart.”

Anas

”Warmth” and ”sociability.” Anas ibn Malik served in the Prophet’s home as a boy.

Behzad

Persian, ”well-born”.

Faisal

Faisal is symbolizing ”decisive ruler” or ”arbiter.” The root f-s-l is the same verb used for cutting and deciding. King Faisal of Saudi Arabia (1906 to 1975) was the third son of King Abdulaziz.

Dilawar

Persian, ”brave-hearted.”

Maysara

”Ease,” and Khadija’s servant who traveled with Muhammad to Syria.

Ghani

”Rich.”

Hanif

”Upright.”

Alim

From ʿilm, ”knowledge.”

Husayn

Husayn is a variation of Hussein or Hassan. It means beautiful or handsome.

Ali

From the Arabic language, Ali means emperor, noble, champion, or elevated. Ali is especially common in the Muslim world, like many of these Muslim baby girl names.

Muslim Baby Boy Names With Meanings
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Salim

“Peaceful” or ”safe.” Variations include Salma, Shalim, Saleemah, Salima, and Selima.

Bilal

“Refreshment.” Bilal ibn Rabah was a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad chose Bilal as the first mu’azzin.

Saad

Saad is from the Arabic verb sa‘ada that means ”to be happy.” Saeeda, Saada, and Saadia are the female versions of Saad.

Daud

Daud is the Arabic form of David who was a prophet and messenger of Allah. David is mentioned sixteen times in the Quran and means ”cherished one.”

Emre

”Friend,” and Yunus Emre, a Sufi poet of Anatolia.

Fatih

Fatih (”conqueror”) was a title of Mehmed II, who captured Constantinople.

Shafiq

”Tender.”

Faiz

”Winner.”

Fajar

Indonesian for ”dawn,” from Arabic fajr.

Saqib

”Piercing star.”

Nasser

Nasser comes from the word ‘naṣr’, ”triumph.” Variations include Nacer or Naser. Nasser is more popular in Iran.

Darwish

Persian darvish, ”poor,” same word as English dervish.

Farhad

”Happiness.” In Persian legend, he cut through a mountain for Shirin.

Kafil

Guarantor.

Nidal

”Struggle.”

Sinan

”Spearhead.” Sinan was an architect who designed Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul.

Shakir

Thankful.

Ebrahim

Ebrahim comes from the Hebrew Abraham and is meaning “exalted father.” Abraham has been described as “a giant in Scripture.” Ebrahim is a common among Muslims.

Edin

Bosnian, from Arabic din, ”faith.”

Nizar

”Rare.” Nizar is the first name of Syrian love poet Nizar Qabbani.

Khattab

”Orator.”

Ubaid

”Little servant.”

Rumi

From Rum, an old Arabic word for Anatolia.

Farid

Farid has interesting meanings that I love, matchless or precious. Farid is also spelt Férid, Ferid, and Fareed. American scientist Farid F. Abraham has over 200 papers published in international journals.

Muslim Boy Names A to Z with Meanings
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Jalal

”Greatness.” In the Bible Jalal is used as a veneration for God. It is popular among non-Arab Muslims.

Samih

”Forgiving.”

Rauf

”Compassionate.”

Salah

”Righteousness,” and first half of Salah al-Din, Saladin’s Arabic name.

Uzair

Ezra, ”help,” named a single time in the Quran.

Sultan

”Authority.”

Walid

”Newborn.” Caliph Walid I commissioned Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.

Aws

Wolf, or gift, and a Madinah tribe.

Mundhir

Warner.

Taj

Crown.

Abdulrahman

Abdulrahman (”servant of the Most Merciful”) I founded an emirate in Córdoba.

Nashwan

”Elated.”

Hamza

Hamza has its origins in “ḥamz”, ”steadfast.” Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib was a companion of Muhammad. Hamza is also spelled as Hamëz or Hamzah.

Rakan

”Steadfast,” ”dignified,” ”respected” and ”firm.”

Safwan

Clear stones, or purity.

Kareem

”Generous.” Al-Kareem is one of the 99 Names of God in Islam.

Hassan

”Good-mannered” or ”good-looking.” Spelling variations of Hassan are Hasan or Hesen.

Shayan

”Worthy.”

Maher

”Expert” or ”talented.”

Idris

Idris or Enoch is a prophet mentioned in the Quran. Idris was born 100 years after Adam’s death. In Arabic Idris means studious.

Tabish

”Radiance.”

Ozan

”Bard.”

Jafar

”Stream”. Jafar al-Tayyar, ”the flyer,” lost both arms at Mutah.

Uqba

”Outcome.” Uqba is a general who founded Kairouan in Tunisia.

Jasim

Big and strong.

Kian

Persian, ”royal line.”

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Muhammad

‘Worthy of praise’ or ‘the praised one.’ Muhammad was banned in some parts of China. Officials described the ban as a method to “curb religious fervor.”

Muslim Boy Names and Their Meanings
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Ilyas

”The Lord is my God.”

Osman

”Most powerful.” Osman also has English roots, meaning “god-fame.”

Afzal

Most excellent.

Jawad

”Generous,” or ”swift horse.”

Baha

”Splendor,” and Naqshbandi order is inspired after Baha al-Din Naqshband.

Iftikhar

”Pride.”

Kaab

”High rank” or ”cube,” and Kaaba comes from it.

Tahir

”Chaste.”

Hashim

Hashim (”crusher”) earned his reputation via crumbling bread into broth for pilgrims.

Amin

”Trustworthy.” Makkans called Muhammad al-Amin before revelation.

Zahir

”Manifest.”

Badr

Full moon.

Zulfiqar

”Possessor of grooves,” and a forked sword in Islamic lore.

Aziz

”Might and dearness”. Al-Aziz is one of the 99 names of God as well as an Egyptian title, which is how the Quran refers to the man who bought Yusuf.

Mubin

Clear.

Majid

”Glorious.”

Muin

”Helper.” Muinuddin Chishti’s shrine is in Ajmer, India.

Burhan

Proof.

Wajih

”Distinguished,” ”eminent,” ”noble” and ”illustrious.”

Siddiq

”Truthful.”

Yunus

Jonah, from Hebrew for ”dove.” Chapter ten of Quran is named after him.

Masud

Fortunate.

Haitham

”Young eagle.” Ibn al-Haytham wrote his Book of Optics in Cairo.

Rafi

”Exalted.”

Mustafa

”The chosen one”. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is the founder of modern Turkey. Balkan and North African spellings are Mustapha and Moustafa.

Musa

Moses, mentioned more times in Quran than any other prophet.

Khurram

”Joyful,” and Shah Jahan’s moniker before his crowning.

Navid

Good news.

Sharif

Noble.

Burak

”Lightning,” from Buraq, steed of Night Journey.

Nabhan

Alert.

Nuh

Nuh is the Arabic Noah, and a chapter of the Quran (71) is named after him.

Imran

‘One with a long and fulfilling life’ or ‘prosperous.’

Raheem

“Merciful,” and is one of the attributes of God.

Isa

Isa is the name of Jesus (”the Lord is salvation”) in the Quran.

Rayyan

Well-watered.

Rashid

”Wise” or ”rightly guided.”

Ammar

”Long lived” is the meaning of Ammar. It is pronounced as am-MAAR.

Zakariya

Zakariya comes from the Hebrew Zechariah. Other spellings are Zakaria and Zackariah.

Numan

”Blessing.” Abu Hanifa’s real name was Numan ibn Thabit.

Sahl

Easy, or smooth level ground.

Erdem

Virtue.

Sami

”Sublime.”

Mert

It comes from Persian mard, ”man,” and means ”brave” in Turkish.

Riyad

”Gardens.”

Ismail

Ismail is symbolizing “heard by God.”

Zubair

”Brave.” Zuberi or Zubair are all variants that are a good option. Al-Zubayr ibn Abd al-Muttalib was an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad.

Jabir

Consoler or comforter.

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Umar

“Long-lived.”

Jibril

Jibril is a form of Gabriel. Gabriel is the heavenly messenger sent to Daniel.

Arslan

Arslan (”lion”) is in Alp Arslan, a Seljuk sultan who won at Manzikert.

Saif

”Sword.” Khalid ibn al-Walid won title Sayf Allah, ”sword of God.”

Sajid

”One who prostrates.”

Zahid

”Ascetic.”

Arif

”Knower,” or a person of mystic insight.

Sulayman

Sulayman is from Shlomo, the Hebrew name of King Solomon.

Naji

”Saved.”

Aqil

”Wise.”

Rayhan

Sweet basil, named in Surah Ar-Rahman.

Ayaz

”Frost” in Turkic. Ayaz was a slave of Mahmud of Ghazni in Persian poems.

Awad

Reward.

Nawaf

”Lofty.”

Bashir

”Bringer of good news.” Bashira is the feminine form.

Layth

Layth is one of the older Arabic words for lion. It is pronounced as LAYTH.

Qusay

Qusay (”distant”) united Quraysh and ruled Makkah.

Mukhtar

Omar al-Mukhtar (”chosen”) resisted Italian rule in Libya for two decades.

Adil

”Just.”

Wael

”One who seeks shelter.”

Hasib

Noble, or one who reckons.

Mansur

Victory is the meaning of Mansur and comes from the root n-s-r. Al-Mansur was the second Abbasid caliph and founded the ‘Round City’ of Madinat al-Salam.

Marwan

”Hard stone” or “quartz.” Spelling variations include Marouane and Merwan.

Khalid

Immortal.

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Yahya

Yahya is the Arabic equivalent of the Prophet John the Baptist.

Najm

Star.

Zakir

”One who remembers God.”

Bahadur

Bahadur is Turkic-Persian for ”brave.”

Abdullah

”Servant of God.” Muhammad’s father had this name.

Hafiz

”Guardian.”

Salman

”Safe.” Salman al-Farsi proposed digging a trench around Madinah.

Mahdi

”Guided one.”

Abbas

al-Abbas (”lion”) ibn Abd al-Muttalib was the Prophet’s uncle, and his line, the Abbasid dynasty, ruled from Baghdad from 750 to 1258.

Nazim

”Organizer,” or a poet who arranges verse.

Salih

”Righteous,” and a prophet sent to Thamud with a she-camel.

Ghalib

”Victor.”

Taim

Servant.

Shams

Sun. Shams was a dervish whose friendship changed Rumi’s poetry.

Nabil

”Nible. The feminine is Nabila.

Yasin

Yasin comes from the first letters (“Ya” and “Sin”) that open the 36th chapter of the Quran.

Yusuf

“God will add”.

Tariq

”One who knocks after dark.” Chapter 86 of the Quran has the title At-Tariq. Commander Tariq ibn Ziyad crossed into Spain in 711 and the Rock of Gibraltar is named after him.

Baqir

Baqir (”one who splits open”) was a title of fifth Shia imam.

Tufayl

From tifl, ”child.”

Wahid

”Single.”

Hussam

”Sharp sword.”

Hud

”Guidance,” and a prophet sent to people of Ad.

Zayd

Zayd is the only one named in the Quran (33:37); this is the verse about his marriage to Zaynab. It means to increase and abundance.

Orhan

Great khan.

Ramzi

”Symbolic.”

Ghassan

From ghassan, ”prime of youth.”

Faruq

”He who tells right from wrong,” a title of Caliph Umar.

Fahim

”Quick to understand.”

Talha

”A kind of fruit-bearing tree.” Its plural, talh, is one of the trees of paradise in the Quran (56:29).

Harun

Aaron in Arabic is Harun and was the elder brother of Musa. Harun al-Rashid established the library Bayt al-Hikma in Baghdad. It is pronounced as haa-ROON.

Sabir

”Patient.”

Mazin

Rain clouds.

Jawhar

”Jewel.” Jawhar al-Siqilli founded Cairo for Fatimids.

Mamun

”Reliable.” Caliph al-Mamun sent astronomers to measure Earth.

Asif

Pardon.

Malik

Malik (”master” or ”king”) is one of the 99 names of God.

Samir

“Companion in evening talk.” The feminine variation is one that I like, Samira.

Ayyub

Job, in the Quran, is Ayyub. Eyüp is the Turkish form and a district in Istanbul.

Khalil

”Companion” or ”friend.”

Munir

Luminous.

Qasim

Qasim was the first son born to the Prophet. This is the reason he was called Abu al-Qasim (”father of Qasim”). The boy died young (age 2 or 3). It means ”one who shares.”

Ghufran

”Forgiveness.”

Hilal

Crescent moon.

Junayd

Junayd (”little soldier”) of Baghdad was a Sufi master.

Suhail

Canopus, a star whose rising in Arabia signals summer’s end.

Latif

”Gentle.”

Jamal

”Beauty.”

Hakim

Al-Hakim, the Wise, stands among the 99 names of Allah. Allah’s name Al-Hakeem comes in the Quran 94 times.

Kamal

”Completeness” or ”perfection”.

Rafiq

The Quran uses its plural for the good company of the righteous in the life to come (4:69). Spelling variations include Rafik and Refik.

Usama

Usama (”lion”) ibn Zayd commanded an army as a teenager.

Uways

Uways (”little wolf”) al-Qarani never met Muhammad, however a hadith praises him.

Marzuq

”Provided for.”

Nadim

Confidant.

Babur

Babur (”tiger”) founded Mughal rule in India.

Yasir

Yasir (”wealth”) ibn Amir, father of Ammar, was a companion of Muhammad and was martyred in Makkah

Danish

Persian for ”knowledge.”

Tamim

”Whole and complete.” Banu Tamim is an Arab tribe descended from Adnan.

Habib

”Beloved.”

Hammam

”High-minded.”

Zaki

”Virtuous” or ”pure” is the meaning of Zaki and is derived from the same root as zakat (”purification”). This is one I would put on a shortlist every day.

Tamer

”Rich in dates.”

Taqi

”Pious.”

Inayat

”Care.” Inayat is a musician who brought Sufism to Europe and America.

Adnan

From adana, ”to settle.”

Imad

”Pillar.”

Amir

”Commander” or ”prince” and has origins in the root about ordering and leading.

Basim

Smiling.

Shahzad

Persian, ”king’s son.”

Ghaith

”Rain.”

Aydin

”Enlightened.”

Hakan

”Emperor.”

Musab

”Hard to tame,” and Islam’s first envoy to Madinah.

Kamran

Successful, or lucky.

Fahad

Leopard, or panther.

Mutasim

Al-Mutasim (”one who clings to God”) founded Samarra on Tigris.

Waqar

Dignity.

Ridwan

”Divine pleasure,” and in tradition, Paradise’s gatekeeper angel.

Barakat

”Blessings.”

Muizz

”One who bestows glory.”

Hatim

Hatim (”judge”) al-Tai lives on in Arab proverbs about generosity.

Zain

”Beauty,” ”grace,” ”ornament” and ”goodness.”

Akbar

”Greatest.” Akbar was a Mughal emperor who never learned to read.

Khidr

”Green one,” and Musa’s guide in Surah Al-Kahf, by tradition.

Faris

”Knight.”

Wafi

”Loyal.”

Shihab

”Shooting star.”

Labib

”Sensible.”

Kashif

Revealer.

Murad

”Wish.”

Timur

Timur is Turkic for ”iron.”

Khalaf

Successor.

Harith

”Ploughman.” A hadith ranks Harith and Hammam as most truthful names.

Bakr

From bakr, ”young camel.”

Diya

”Glow.”

Taha

”Pure.”

Hisham

”Generosity.”

Thabit

”Firm.” Thabit was a Harran mathematician who translated Greek works into Arabic.

Daniyal

Daniel, ”God is my judge.” His tomb is in Shush, Iran.

Munib

”Repentant.”

Zeeshan

Of high rank.

Sabih

”Bright-faced.”

Zuhair

Zuhair (”little flower”) ibn Abi Sulma was a poet of pre-Islamic Arabia.

Ayman

”Blessed,” or ”right-handed.”

Talal

Fine rain, or admirable.

Asim

”Protector.” Most printed Qurans follow Asim’s recitation, as passed on by Hafs.

Hadi

”Guide.”

Shahid

”Witness.”

Tawfiq

”Success from God.”

Furqan

”Criterion,” another one for Quran and title of its chapter twenty-five.

Haidar

Lion.

Saqr

Falcon.

Kazim

”One who swallows his anger,” a quality praised in Surah Al Imran.

Omid

Hope.

Shuja

Courageous.

Jamshid

It combines Jam and shid, ”radiant.”

Rizky

Indonesian, from Arabic rizq, ”provision.”

Irfan

”Gnosis.”

Rustam

”Strong,” as well as a giant warrior of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.

Abrar

”Righteous ones.”

Siraj

”Lamp.” Surah Nuh uses siraj for the sun.

Wadi

”Calm.”

Abdulqadir

Abdulqadir (”servant of the Capable”) Gilani founded Qadiriyya Sufi order.

Bara

Innocent, or excelling.

Azzam

”Determined.”

Rami

Archer.

Shuayb

”One who shows a right path,” as well as a prophet sent to Madyan.

Shadi

”Singer” in Arabic and ”joyful” in Persian.

Rabi

”Spring.”

Tayyib

Wholesome.

Mishal

Torch.

Suhayb

Suhayb (”red-haired”) al-Rumi was raised among Byzantines.

Wasim

Handsome.

Jahangir

”World conqueror,” and an emperor who hung a chain of bells for petitions.

Faraz

”Height.”

Dara

King, or wealthy.

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