Arabic Names

15 March 2007

Above: In the school hostel hallway illuminated by light through the stained glass windows.

Despite the title, this page is more about Arabic names that Malaysians (usually Malays) have.  I now know their meanings!  Here are the names of friends, bank tellers, flight attendants etc that I’ve met through the years.  Some are rather beautiful but they get better as you go down the list!  I can’t comment on any Yemeni Arab female names because as a male visitor, one doesn’t get to meet any women or even see their faces.

  • Farid (m) / Faridah (f)  –  unique
  • Amin (m) / Aminah (f)  –  trustworthy … my teacher says this is one of the many untrue names
  • Jameel (m) / Jameelah (f)  – beautiful … another untrue name … who is to know that a beautiful baby will be an plain adult
  • Rafeah (f)  –  high or superior
  • Farah (f)  –  joy
  • Nur Leila (f) –  Light + Night (maybe the moon and stars)
  • Nur Aini (f) –  Light + My Eye (light of my eye, presumably)
  • Nur Hayati (f) –  Light  +  My Life (Debbie Boone?)
  • Nur Farah (f) –  Light + Joy (wow! this IS beautiful)
  • Nur Ashiqin (f) –  Light + Lovers (double wow!!!  My teacher thought this was bordering on X-rated by Yemeni prudish standards)

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