Maryam: the only woman named
Maryam (مَرْيَم) is the only woman called by her name in the Quran, and a whole surah, Surah Maryam (chapter 19), carries her name. The Quran describes her as chosen above the women of the worlds:
يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَاكِ وَطَهَّرَكِ وَاصْطَفَاكِ عَلَىٰ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ“O Maryam, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds.”
Other women appear in the Quran without being named, such as the wife of Pharaoh, the mother of Musa and the Queen of Sheba. Names like Asiyah (the wife of Pharaoh) and Hawwa (Eve) come to us from the hadith and Islamic tradition rather than from the Quran’s text.
Names from words from the Quran
These words appear in the Quran and are used as girls’ names:
- هُدَى Huda: guidance. “A guidance for those conscious of Allah” (Quran 2:2)
- نُور Nur: light. “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth” (Quran 24:35)
- سَكِينَة Sakinah: tranquillity, calm sent down by Allah (Quran 48:4)
- رَحْمَة Rahmah: mercy (Quran 21:107)
- جَنَّة Jannah: garden, Paradise (Quran 2:35)
- إِيمَان Iman: faith (Quran 49:7)
- آيَة Ayah: sign, verse (Quran 2:106)
- كَوْثَر Kawthar: abundance, a river in Paradise, and the name of Surah 108
- تَسْنِيم Tasnim: a spring in Paradise (Quran 83:27)
- سَلْسَبِيل Salsabil: a spring in Paradise (Quran 76:18)
- صَفَا Safa: the hill of Safa, part of Hajj and ‘Umrah (Quran 2:158)
- مَرْوَة Marwah: the hill of Marwah (Quran 2:158)
Choose for the meaning
A word appearing in the Quran does not by itself make it a good name. Some words from the Quran have negative meanings or describe punishment. Always check the meaning and the verse it comes from, not only how the word sounds.
The Prophet ﷺ changed names with bad meanings. ‘Umar had a daughter called ‘Āṣiyah (disobedient), and the Prophet ﷺ renamed her Jamīlah, meaning beautiful (Sahih Muslim 2139). Note that this ‘Āṣiyah is spelled with ‘ayn and ṣād (عَاصِيَة) and is different from Āsiyah (آسِيَة), the wife of Pharaoh.
Names of great women in Islam
Many parents also choose names of the Prophet’s family and companions. The Prophet ﷺ said that the best of the world’s women include Maryam bint ‘Imran, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad and Asiyah the wife of Pharaoh (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3878).
