Arabic and Muslim Baby Boy Names: 46 Ideas and Their Meanings

Mohamed, Adam, Ibrahim: when it comes to Arabic boy names, some choices seem obvious. Then comes the moment you sit down together with a shortlist, and the questions start. What exactly does this name mean? How is it written in Arabic? Will it be easy to carry if part of the family lives in France, Spain, the UK or Canada?

This selection answers those three questions for 46 names. We only kept names whose Arabic spelling and meaning match in at least two references: etymological dictionaries of first names, lexicons and counts of the Quranic text. Names whose meaning varies too much from one source to another were left out.

The tables are grouped by family, from the names of prophets to short names that travel well. Expecting a girl? See our selection of Arabic girl names and their meanings.

Names of prophets: classics that have crossed the centuries

These are the names of the prophets and figures named in the Quran, given to Muslim boys for centuries. Most are the Arabic forms of biblical names, which gives them an equivalent in many languages (Ibrahim and Abraham, Moussa and Moses).

The Quran names other prophets whose names are also given to boys, such as Youssef (Joseph), Younes (Jonah) or Yahya (John the Baptist). We cover them, along with Nouh, Haroun, Zakaria and Choaïb, in our article on names mentioned in the Quran.

Names of virtues: justice, wisdom, generosity

This family expresses a quality parents wish for their son. Many of these names are everyday Arabic adjectives, so a child growing up with Arabic or Darija (Moroccan Arabic) understands what his name means very early on.

Nature, light, strength: names that paint a picture

Some parents prefer a name that evokes an image rather than a quality: rain after a drought, the eagle, light, the horseman. These names are often short and easy to remember.

Great names from the early days of Islam

These names recall figures from the history of Islam or ancient Arabia. They appeal to families who want a name rich in history without choosing a prophet's name.

Another large family brings together names beginning with Abd-, "servant of", followed by one of the names of God. Their North African transliterations are Abdellah, Abderrahmane, Abdeslam or Abdelkrim.

Timeless or on trend: how to choose?

We found no public official statistics on the names given to babies in Morocco. Rather than offer you a ranking nobody can check, here is a simple way to find your bearings.

• Timeless names: prophets' names and great names from history (Mohamed, Ibrahim, Bilal). They never go out of fashion, but your son may share his name with other children in his class.
• Names of virtues (Adil, Hakim, Khalil): they carry a clear message the whole family understands.
• Short, international names (Adam, Rami, Nour, Fares): a good choice if your son will grow up between several languages or countries.

If you want something more unusual, our selection of rare and unique baby names offers more ideas, along with the pitfalls to avoid.

Pronunciation and spelling: thinking of Morocco and abroad

Four Arabic sounds have no equivalent in English or French: the ح in Hakim, the ع in Afif, the خ in Khalil and the غ in Ghassan. Abroad, these letters are usually replaced by a nearby sound. Names that contain none of them, such as Adam, Rami, Fares or Moussa, sound the same everywhere.

Spelling in Latin letters matters too. The same Arabic name can be transliterated in several ways: Rachid or Rashid, Jaouad or Jawad, Khalid or Khaled. In Morocco, the birth certificate records the first name in Arabic, in Tifinagh (the Amazigh alphabet) and in Latin letters (article 19 of law 36-21). Pick one spelling and keep it on every document, especially if part of your son's life will be spent outside Morocco.

Compound names and titles: what Moroccan law allows

Law 36-21 on civil status, published in the Official Bulletin on 22 July 2021, sets the rules for choosing a first name in its article 34. For a boy, the key points are:

• no more than two names in a compound first name;
• no title such as Moulay or Sidi attached to the name, and no number after it;
• no family name, or name of a town, village or tribe;
• nothing mocking, or contrary to public decency or public order.

Since the implementing decree published in July 2023, a civil registrar can no longer refuse a name on their own: they record the declaration and refer the case to the High Commission for Civil Status. All the rules, including the situation of families living abroad, are explained in our guide to choosing a baby name under Moroccan law. For registration deadlines, see our article on registering a birth in Morocco.

From the shop

Keepsakes to go with his name

Handprint and footprint boxes and frames to remember his very first days, as a gift or for yourself once the name is chosen.

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Products sold by La Maison du Bébé, publisher of this magazine. Prices as of 12 October 2026; please check the product page.