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The Sapphire Court > Character Development > Picking a name



Title: Picking a name
Description: A rose by any other name...


The Creator - December 18, 2007 04:46 PM (GMT)
Here are some helpful links to... help you in your search for that perfect name for your character. First, however, we'll start out with some basic info on names of the time period:

1. There were no middle names in this time period in England. Such a thing was very rare and only became common in English-speaking countries in the 19th century :).

2. When a baby was baptized (and they all were :)) they received their Christian name. This name never changed, though they could take on a nickname.

3. Surnames were constantly changing. For example, say there were three men named George in one town. One was short, one was a baker, and the other had red hair. Even though their surnames might be something completely different, they'd probably be referred to as George Little, George Baker, and George Red... and then they might pass on this new surname to their children :). Just a fun fact there. Note: this mainly applies to English surnames...

4. People were usually named after their godparents, or at least named after a close relative... so names are constantly repeating in families :).

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Okay, now on to the links!

English men and women
English Surnames
Scottish women
Scottish men - and two women
Scottish Surnames
French men - some women
More French men and women
French Surnames
Spanish men
Spanish women
Spanish Surnames
More Spanish Surnames
Even More Spanish Surnames
Italian men
Italian women
Italian Surnames
German women
German men
German Surnames
Kjentish Names - Men and Women

The Kaleidoscope - April 24, 2008 09:54 PM (GMT)
Remalic Names and Naming Practices

Remalic names consist of three parts: the given name, which is given on the day of birth or one week after birth; the “nasab”, which is either ibn for a man or bint for a girl; and the patriarchal name.

For example:
Yusuf the son of Mohammad = Yusuf ibn Mohammad
Layla the daughter of Yusuf = Layla bint Yusuf

This makes up the first and last name of your character. This means that ibn (for a man) or bint (for a woman) + their father's first name, is your character's current last name.

Masculine Given Names (with pronunciations):

Aban - Ah-ban
Abbad - Ahb-bad
‘Abd al-Rahman – Eb-del-rah-man
‘Abd Allah (Abdullah,Abdallah) - Ahb-dul-lah
‘Abd al-Aziz - Eb-del-az-eez
‘Abd al-Hamid - Eb-del-hah-meed
‘Abd al-Malik - Eb-del-mah-leek
‘Abd al-Zahir - Eb-del-zah-hear
‘Abdus - Eb-dooss
Ahmad - Ahh-mod
‘Ali - Eh-lee
‘Allan - El-lahn
‘Alqamah - El-com-ah
‘Ammar - Ahm-mahr
‘Amr – Ah-mer
Anas - Ah-nass
‘Aqil - Eh-co-eel
‘Arubah - Ah-roo-bah
‘Asim – Ah-seem
‘Ata’ - Ah-ta-ah
Ayyub [Job] - Aye-yub
Babak - Beh-bek
Bakkar - Bahk-car
Bakr – see above
Bashshar - Bosh-shar
Baybars - Bah-ee-bars
Bilal - Bee-lell
Bishr - Bee-shur
Bundar - Bon-dahr
Da’ud [David] - Dah-wud
Dabbah - Dahb-bah
Daffafah - Def-feff-uh
Dahhak - Dah-hack
Damdam - Dem-dem
Dirar - Deer-ahr
Durayd – Doo-rah-eed
Fadl - Fah-dl
Farras - Fahr-rass
Fudayl - Foo-day-eel
Ghalib - Grah-leeb
Ghassan - Grass-sahn
Habib - Hah-beeb
Hakam - Hah-kahm
Hakim - Hah-keem
Hamdan - Hahm-dahn
Hamdun – Hahm-doon
Hamid - Hah-meed
Hammad - Hahm-mahd
Hamzah - Ham-ssah
Harb - Har-reb
Harthamah - Hearth-ah-mah
Harun (Haroun) [Aaron] - Hah-roon
Hasan - Hah-san
Hashim - Hah-sheem
Hassan - Hass-san
Hilal - Hee-lell
Hisham - Hish-ahm
Hujr - Hoj-jer
Humayd - Hoo-ma-eed
Hunayn - Hoo-na-een
Husayn Ibrahim [Abraham] – Hoo-sane Ee-brah-heem
Idris - Ee-dreess
‘Imran - Imm-rahn
‘Isa (Isa) [Jesus] - Iss-ah
Ishaq [Isaac] – Ee-shock
Isma’il [Ishmael] - Iss-mah-ill
Iyas - Ee-yass
Jabir - Jah-beer
Ja’far - Jah-far
Jahm - Jom
Jibril [Gabriel] - Jee-breel
Kamil - Kam-eel
Khalaf* - Khah-loff
Khalid* - Khah-leed
Khalil* - Khah-leel
Khattab* - Khot-tob
Khuzaymah* - Khooz-ah-ee-mah
Labid - Leb-eed
Lu’lu’ - Loo-oo-loo-oo
Ma’bad - Mah-bahd
Mahmud - Mahh-mood
Malik - Mah-leek
Ma’n - Mah-en
Mansur - Mahn-soor
Ma’qil - Mah-co-eel
Marwan - Mahr-wah-n
Maslamah - Mass-lah-mah
Maymun - Mah-ee-moon
Mikha’il [Michael] - Meek-ha-eel
Mishal - Meesh-all
Mu’adh - Moo-ad
Mu’ammar - Moo-ahm-mahr
Mu’awiyah - Mo-ow-ee-yah
Mughirah - Moo-gree-rah
Muhammad [Mohammed] - Mo-hahm-mahd
Mujahid - Moo-jah-heed
Munqidh - Moon-co-eed
Muqatil - Moo-co-ah-teel
Musa [Moses] - Moo-sah
Muslim - Moos-leem
Muzahim - Moo-zah-heem
Nafi’ - Nah-fee-ee
Najdah - Nahj-dah
Nasr - Nah-sir
Nuh [Noah] - Nooh
Nusayr - Noo-sa-eer
Qatadah - Co-ah-tah-dah
Qays - Co-ah-eess
Qudamah - Co-oo-dah-mah
Qurrah - Co-oor-rah
Qutaybah - Co-oo-ta-ee-bah
Rabi’a - Rah-bee-yah
Rafi’ - Rah-fee-ee
Ramadan - Rah-mah-dahn
Rashid - Rah-sheed
Rawh - Rah-w
Razin - Rah-zeen
Ru’bah - Roo-bah
Sabur - Seh-boor
Sa’d - Seh-d
Sa’dan Sadaqah – Seh-dahn Seh-dah-gah
Sa’id - Sah-eed
Safwan - Seff-won
Sahl - Soll
Salamah - Seh-leh-mah
Salih - Seh-lee
Salim - Seh-limb
Salm – see above
Sandi - Sen-dee
Sawwar - Sahw-wahr
Sayf - Sa-eef
Shabib - Shah-beeb
Shahib - Shah-heeb
Shahid - Shah-heed
Shahin - Shah-heen
Shaybah - Shah-ee-bah
Shihab - Shee-hahb
Shu’ayb - Shoo-ah-ee-bah
Shuqayr - Shoo-co-ah-eer
Sinan - So-ee-nahn
Sufyan - So-oof-ee-ahn
Sulaym - So-oo-lah-eem
Sulayman (Sulaiman, Suleiman) [Solomon] - So-oo-lah-ee-mahn
Surayj - So-oo-rah-eej
Tahir - Tah-heer
Talhah - Tall-hah
Talib - Tall-lib
Tamman - Tahm-man
Tawbah - Tahw-bah
Tha’lab - Theh-leb
Thabit - Theb-eet
Thawabah - Thah-wah-bah
Thawr - Thahw-er
‘Ubayd - Oo-ba-eed
‘Ubayd Allah – Oo-ba-eed Oll-lah
‘Umar - Oo-mahr
‘Umarah - Oo-mah-rah
Umayyah - Uhm-ma-ee-yah
‘Unaynah - Oo-na-ee-nah
‘Uqbah - Oo-co-bah
‘Urwah - Oor-wah
Usama (Usamah) - Oo-sah-mah
‘Utbah - Oot-bah
‘Uthman - Ooss-mahn
Wada’ - Wah-dah-ah
Wahb - Wah-b
Wasil - Wah-seel
Ya’qub (Yakub) [Jacob] - Yah-kob
Yahya [John] - Yah-yah
Yamin - Yah-meen
Yazid - Yah-zeed
Yuhanna - Yo-hahn-nah
Yunus [Jonah] - Yo-no-ss
Yusuf [Joseph] - Yoo-soof
Zakariya’ [Zacharias] - Zah-kah-ree-yah-ah
Zayd - Zah-ee-d
Ziyad - Zee-yad
Zubayr - Zoo-ba-eer
Zuhayr – Zoo-ha-eer

* -- Names marked with an asterisk are Kh- names, which are pronounced like the German 'Ch'. It's like hocking up a hairball, very phlegmy.

The Kaleidoscope - April 24, 2008 09:56 PM (GMT)
Feminine Given Names:

Abbasah - Ah-bah-sah
Abdah - Ahb-dah
`Abla (‘Ablah) - Eb-lah
`Afra` - Eh-frah
`A`isha (A'isha, Ayisha, Ayesha, Aisha) - Ah-ee-shah
Amimah - Ah-mee-mah
Aminah (Amina) - Ah-mee-nah
‘Amra - Em-rah
Arwa - Arr-wah
Asiya - Ah-see-yah
Asma' (Asma) - Oss-mah-ah
`Atikah - Eh-tee-kah
Azizah - Ah-zee-zah
`Azzah - Ehz-zah
Banah - Bahn-ah
Banujah (Banuqah) - Bahn-oo-jah
Baraka - Bah-rah-kah
Bilqis - Beel-co-eess
Buran - Boo-rahn
Bushra - Boosh-rah
Buthaynah - Boo-tha-ee-nah
Chiklah - Cheek-lah
Dahah - Dah-hah
Dananir - Dah-nah-neer
Duqaq - Doo-co-ok
Durra - Door-rah
Fadl - Fah-dell
Fatimah (Fatima) - Fah-tee-mah
Fawz - Fah-wz
Fazila - Fah-zee-lah
Ghadir - Grah-deer
Ghaniyah - Grah-nee-yah
Ghaythah - Grah-ee-thah
Hababah - Hah-bah-bah
Hafsah (Hafsa) - Half-sah
Hakeema (Hakima) - Hah-keem-ah
Hala - Hall-ah
Halima - Heh-lee-mah
Hamama - He-mem-mah
Hasanah (Hasana) - Hah-sah-nah
Hawwa (Hawa, Hawwa’) - Haw-wah
Hind - Hin-d
Hullah Huma'i – Hull-lah Hoo-ma-ee
Husn - Huss-en
`Ijliyah - Ij-lee-yah
`Ilm – Ill-m
`Inan (Inan) - In-ahn
Itimad - Ee-tee-mahd
‘Izza - Izz-zah
Jaida - Jah-ee-da
Jamila - Jah-mee-lah
Jumana - Joo-mah-nah
Juml - Joom-ll
Juwayriyyah - Joo-wa-ee-ree-yah
Kasif - Kass-eef
Khadijah (Khadija)* - Khah-dee-jah
Khaizuran* - Khah-ee-zoor-ahn
Khalida* - Khah-lee-dah
Khayra* - Khah-ee-rah
Layla (Laila) - La-ee-lah
Lubaba - Loo-bah-bah
Lubna (Labna) - Loob-nah
Mahabba - Mah-hab-bah
Malak - Mah-lahk
Manhalah - Man-hah-lah
Marajil - Mah-rah-jeel
Maridah - Mah-ree-dah
Mariyah - Mah-ree-yah
Maryam (Mariam) [Mary] - Mah-ree-yom
Maymuna (Maynmunah, Maimuna, Maimunah) - Ma-ee-moon-ah
Maysun - Mah-ee-soon
Mayy - Ma-ee
Muhayya - Moo-hi-yah
Munisa - Moo-nees-ah
Munya - Moon-yah
Muti’a - Moo-tee-ah
Nafisa - Nah-fee-sah
Naila - Na-ee-lah
Nalkah – Nahl-kah
Nu'm - Noo-um
Nusayba - Noo-sa-ee-bah
Nuwwar - Noo-wahr
Qabul - Co-ah-bool
Qaribah - Co-ah-ree-bah
Rabab - Rah-bahb
Rabi'ah (Rabia) - Rah-bee-ah
Rahil [Rachel] - Rah-heel
Rahmat - Rahh-mot
Ramlah - Rahm-lah
Rayhana - Rah-ee-hah-nah
Raym - Rah-eem
Rayya - Rah-ee-yah
Rudaba - Roo-dah-bah
Raziya - Rah-zee-yah
Ruqayyah (Ruqayya) - Roo-co-ah-ee-yah
Rusa (Rusha) – Roo-sah (Roo-shah)
Sabiha - Seh-bee-hah
Saduf - Sah-doof
Safiya (Safia) [Sophia] - Sah-fee-yah
Safwah - Saf-wah
Saham - Sah-hahm
Sahla - Sah-ha-la
Sajah - Sah-jah
Sakan - Sah-kahn
Salamah (Salama) - Sah-leh-mah
Salma (Salmaa) - Sahl-mah
Salsal - Sahl-sahl
Sanaa - Sah-na-ah
Sara [Sarah] - Sah-rah
Sawda - Sow-dah
Shaima - Shah-ee-mah
Shifa - Shee-fah
Shiklah - Sheek-lah
Su'ad (Suad) - Soo-ed
Subh - Soobh
Sumayya - Soo-ma-ee-yah
Sumnah - Soom-nah
Thana' - Thah-nah-ah
`Ulayyah (Ulaiyah) - Ull-ah-ee-yah
Umamah - Oo-mah-mah
Umayma - Oo-ma-ee-mah
`Utbah - Utt-bah
Wahshiyah - Wah-shee-yah
Wallada - Wahl-lah-dah
Warwar - Wahr-wahr
Zaynab (Zainab) - Zah-ee-nahb
Zebeebah (Zabibah) - Zeb-ee-bah
Zubaydah (Zubaida, Zubaidah) - Zoo-bah-ee-bah
Zulaikha -Zoo-lah-ee-kah


* -- Names marked with an asterisk are Kh- names, which are pronounced like the German 'Ch'. It's like hocking up a hairball, very phlegmy.




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