Arabic name Saif

[Boulders]

Anyone know how to pronounce this correctly. Should it rhyme with knife? TIA.

It would be pronounced Sayf (like safe)

It means swordand in arabic is spelt with the letters 'seen, yaa, faa' and the accent over the seen makes it into a 'sa' sound so sa-y-f.

As dd says.

I only know one Saif but he goes CRAZY if you call him 'safe': he says it with a short vowel, e.g. 'sef'. Might not be 'correct' but it's definitely his opinion!

it is actually pronounced the same as "safe"

Interesting, my OH pronounces it 'sife' (he is south asian). I think I will discount the name as it will be too confusing.

Interesting, my OH pronounces it 'sife' (he is south asian). I like it but think I will discount the name as it will be too confusing.

I also like the name Noor, but am worried that as it is used for girls and boys people will think it too feminine.

It's pronounced kind of like knife, Suyf. Not pronounced like Safe.

I think Noor is nice for a boy as a muslim name.

I always thought Noor was a girl's name (Queen Noor, Jordan)

mathanxiety it can be either.

The only Saif I know is a "Seff" (short vowel).

My friend's boyfriend is called Saif and definitely pronounces it like "safe". didn't realise there were so many ways!

Ref Noor, at DCs old school in the Middle East there were quite a few Noors and they were all girls. Never heard a boy called that.

All the male Noors I've known - including my grandfather - have it with something eg Muhammad Noor or Noor Muhammad.

Thanks and sorry to add o such an old thread but as you were so helpful before......can you tell me how to pronounce the arabic name Na'el/Nael.

There is a Saif in my sons class at school and it is pronounced 'Sef'