Anyone from/living in an Arab country able to help me please?!

[kirrinIsland]

We need a name that works in both Arabic and English.
For a girl it seems quite easy but I'm struggling with boys names. (don't know what I'm having so this may never be a problem!)

We have a couple of possibilities but I love the name Solomon/Sulaiman but DP assures me it is very old fashioned. Problem is, he has a tendency to say that about any name he just doesn't like, rather than just say he doesn't like it

Can anyone tell me if he's actually right this time?!

I don't want to use a name that will make him a bit of a laughing stock but if it's just a preference thing then I have five months to work on changing DP's mind

Sorry everyone - Internet has been down for a couple of days so only just been able to check this.

Thanks for all the suggestions, there are some great ideas here.

Omar has been added to the list (even though it's not English). I love Kareem but it rhymes with DPs surname!

patry I like your style

thecokemachine that's been my argument too - all the old fashioned names are making a come back so perhaps Suleiman is also due a revival. I could start a trend :)

What about Ismail? My Moroccan friend called her son like this and it works perfectly well in the US. It is the Arabic version of Ismael (Hebrew), apparently quite popular in the Maghreb.
Ismail's sisters are Sarah and Mina, FYI.

Thanks magda - and Sarah is on my girl's list!

OP - If you don't like the name Ali, tell your DH you learned Ali is actually a Shiite name, and his family being Sunni, you would prefer a name that better reflects his culture (if his family is Sunni, of course)

cote my friends hubands family actually tried to tell her that when she named her son Ali, obviously she didnt listen as that is nonsensical reasoning. Would rule out Hassan and Hussein as well.

OP what about Danyal, Samee, Deen, Malik, Ibrahim, Essan,

Thanks for the "nonsensical reasoning" comment, nailak Whatever that means.

Next time you see a >>

OP - Do you want a name that has a religious meaning, any Arabic name that will work in English, or any name that will work in both languages?

Ooh - Danyal

cote DP is Muslim so it has to have a meaning, and I would prefer a name that exists in both cultures, although I will consider Arabic names that are easy to spell and pronounce! DP, however, will not consider English names that are easy to spell and pronounce so I am being a bit stubborn about purely Arabic names!

cote the nonsensical bit wasnt aimed at u but my friends inlaws who actually said that to her!!!! but she still called her son Ali lol

I teach in Egypt and don't see many Solomon's.
I would stay away from Youssef and Omar, as they are very popular - we have 8 Omar's and 7 Youssef's out of 52 students in my year.
I like Yassin, Adham and Ammar.

Blimey alligator I didn't realise Omar was that popular - good tip!
Yassin is nice, I've not come across that before.

Hi,

you can check out:
www.arabicenglishbabynames.com

It lists all the names that work in both languages.
Good luck!

I live in an Arab country.

I teach one teenage Suleiman.

The most common names I’ve come across recently for boys are Ahmed/Ahmad, Abdullah (lots of these), Laith, Firas, Rayan, Yahya (hard to pronounce in English though), Ibrahim, Yusuf, Issa/Eissa. Ages ranging from babies to teenagers.

I agree Omar seems to be quite popular. I know one Yaseen.

Zombie thread!!!

I don’t know much about this but Zayne & Jad are both awesome names that I think are Arabic (?) & are easy in English

Amir and Tariq are nice.

My favourite is Marwan.