what’s in a(n Arabic) name?
Posted by adiamondinsunlight on October 20, 2008
Today’s post comes from ST, who sends some of the funniest Arabic- and English-language forwards that reach my inbox. Its a list of the names of famous Lebanese (mostly) figures and how these names would translate into English.
Asking “what does your name mean?” is a particular type of question in English: no one asks someone named George or Tom or Sam or Caroline or Sara or Abigail what meaning their name has. Its a question that follows one about “what kind” of name Reem or Anupama or Suneil or Kwame is, or where it comes from – i.e., its a question that gets asked of names that sound foreign.
So, for anyone who has heard the name “Rafiq Hariri” and wondered “What does that name mean?”, here are some answers (I’ve put the more famous names in English transliteration for non-Arabic readers):
Right Appearance
Ayman Al Zawahiri
أيمن الظواهري
Constructive Bomber
Moammar al Qadhafi
معمر القذافي
Victorious Jellyfish
ناصر قنديل
Lantern the Humpback
مصباح الأحدب
Comrade the Silky
Rafik al Hariri
رفيق الحريري
Happy the Silky
Saad al Hariri
سعد الحريري
Thankful Frowner
Shaker al-Abssi
شاكر العبسي
Mother of All Garlic
Um Kulthoum
أم كلثوم
Morning Pride
صباح فخري
Sultan Father of Two Eyes
سلطان أبو العنين
Loyal Makes Pretty
Amin Gemayel
أمين الجميل
Frame Honored
برواز مشرّف
Decent Seed
نزيه البزري
Beautiful Sir
جميل السيد
Alert My Righteousness
Nabh Berri
نبيه بري
Heart of the Beautiful Lady
Fouad Siniora
فؤاد السنيورة
Slave of the Meek Diaper
عبد الحليم حافظ
The Son of the Teacher
عبد الحليم خدام
Salute Karaoke
تحية كاريوكا
Michael the Bitter
Michel al Murr
مشال المر
The Stealer of My Meter
طارق متري
Sigh Blacksmith – Gem
نهاد حداد (فيروز)
Unique the Deaf
Farid al-Atrash
فريد الأطرش
Morning
صباح
Desiring a Mark
راغب علامة
Diver Priest
غطاس خوري
Unique the Stock Keeper
فريد الخازن
Unique the Donkey Herder
فريد مكاري
Age of Generosity
عمر كرامي
Guide of Generosity
رشيد كرامي
Honor the Gardener
نبيل البستاني
Nobel We Say No
نبيل نقولا
Receive Compensation
نيلا معوّض
Goody Blessed
حسني مبارك
Knight of Little Grouchy
فارس بويز
Complete the Happiest
كامل الاسعد
Loyal the Perfumer
أمين الريحاني
Happy Brain
سعيد عقل
Stealer of Turkey
طارق حبشي
ajnabiya said
I love Arabic for these very reasons! My first name means nothing in english, or not really anything…but I used to call my late husband Smiley the camel herder!
Hehe….
Kheireddine said
Lantern the Humpback
مصباح الأحدب
I am from the same family
Actually, our last name comes from the shape of the sword of Islam.
Maria said
Great post! I love that Saad means Happy!
adiamondinsunlight said
Ajnabiya, I love it – what a sweet, funny name for your husband!
My first name in English is also pretty generic: it means “womanly”, as do hundreds of other women’s names. Helpful if I ever have a gender identity crisis; not so interesting otherwise.
Kheireddine, I didn’t realize that you are from the same family. But you are right about a7dab/7adab – so perhaps your cousin’s name is more accurately The Most Curved Lantern
.
Maria, thank you! ST deserves the real credit, though – she sent the forward that had me giggling yesterday morning
.
Nora said
Arabic is a really nice language actually; so many meanings for a simple word like Love or “my dear” (Habibi?)
, we speak Spanish and English at home. However, Arabic sounds more like ocean waves crashing –> apologies… I know my analogy is a little far-fetched, but the sounds are soothing none-the-less! 
“Nora” in Arabic means…. ? Light? I am not sure In English it means, Honor from it’s British roots of Honoura….