Mahdi

MAH-dee

Arabic

"guided one; one who guides"

Mahdi Origin and Meaning

The name Mahdi is a boy's name meaning "guided one; one who guides".

In Islamic theology, the Mahdi is a prophesized figure who will appear at the End of Times to act as a redeemer of Islam. Said to be descended from the Prophet Muhammad, it is believed he will rid the world of evil. There are questions and varying beliefs around this doctrine as it is not mentioned in the Quran.

As a name, Mahdi is associated with divine guidance and it can be used to denote the person being guided but also the one acting as guide. Used by Islamic communities across the world, from Iran and Qatar, to Morocco and Nigeria, the name is also in the UK Top 1000.

Author Frank Herbert drew inspiration from the Islamic doctrine for his sci-fi series, Dune. One of the central characters, Paul (portrayed by Timothée Chalame in the most recent film versions), gets called the Mahdi by those who believe he will be their saviour.

Mahdi Popularity

• 849 Unique 2023
• 863 England 2021

Mahdi in Pop Culture

• Mahdi Disi character from Norwegian TV show “Skam”