325+ Arabic Names (with Meanings and Popularity)

This striking name has a lot going for it: it's a self-confident Spanish surname, it identifies one of the most brilliant stars in the sky, and it has a musical reference to singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega.

Any of the Y forms, which also include Yasmeen, Yasmin, and Yasmina, make this name more unusual and distinctive.

In the Quran, Eyad (and names with similar roots like Iyad and Ayad) refers to a person/entity that strengthens another. Eyad is one of the modern Arabic names for boys.

The lilting name of a range of mythical mountains, with an extensive menu of spellings, and a more unusual way of fitting in with current favorites Lila and Lola.

This Hebrew and Arabic name hit the US Top 300 in 2004 via an unusual inspiration: A Mexican pop singer and telenovela star known simply as Yahir, who was himself named after a Brazilian soccer player. Possibly a variation of the Hebrew Jair the Arabic Zahir, Yahir has since declined since its peak in the 2000s, however, it does remain in the latter end of the US Top 1000.

Amael or Amaël is a variant of the popular Breton name Mael or Maël, which ranks in the Top 10 in France.

Zero has been documented as a given name before, but it's largely familiar as a stage name (such as Zero Mostel, born Samuel Joel Mostel) and comic book and anime characters.

Alula, the palindromic name of the first double star to be identified as physically related to its twin, would make the perfect name for a first-born twin. Ideas (we're only half joking) for the second born: Aviva, Aziza, Otto. Alula is reminiscent of the unusual name chosen by Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen for their second daughter: Elula, a month name from the Hebrew calendar.

Though the Greek meaning sounds ominous, the mythological god Thanatos was actually a jolly winged creature living in the underworld, so it shouldn't deter you.

Zinedine Zidane is France's biggest soccer star, spawning a legion of little Zinedines in that country.

Associated with a spring festival, this name is used by both Muslims and Christians.

Abbreviated form of Zahara that was used by Chris Rock for his daughter and as a middle name by both Eddie Murphy and David Bowie. Compared with the even-more-abbreviated Zara, Zahra may create more spelling problems but clarify pronunciation.

Shiny cousin of Samara with an intriguing meaning. Increasingly associated with the charming Samira Wiley, a perennial scene-stealer on "Orange is the New Black" and "The Handmaid's Tale."

Simpler and less tied to the singer in this form, Aliya is a feminine form of the Arabic name Ali, meaning "lofty, sublime, high" or "exalted." Boosted to fame by the ill-fated singer, Aaliyah, and used across the Middle East, the US and the UK, Aliya is a powerful and pretty choice with a concise spelling.

Jamal is an Arabic boys’ name meaning "beauty." Jamal and its variants are popular in the Muslim community, although Jamal’s popularity within the US has decreased in recent years.

This is a soft and strong Arabic and Persian name commonly heard in the Middle East.

This is one of the ninety-nine attributes of Allah, deemed by Muhammad to be a recommended name for a male child. In this country, it's been primarily associated with boxing immortal Muhammad Ali, known as "the greatest." But Ali is also one of the most popular unisex names for both boys and girls.

Farida is a Muslim name more distinctive than the Americanized Farah/Farrah.

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known Arabic names for girls.

Well used by Muslim parents across the world, Ibrahim is the Arabic variation of Abraham. Significant in multiple religions and with an international and well-travelled feel about it, Ibrahim has been in the US Top 1000 since the 1990s, and is currently popular in Azerbaijan, France, the UK, and Turkey.