Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

KKF, it's not a new thing.. I have quite a few Muslim elders in my family with Hindu and Christian names..

Hindu names are very common in Bangladesh due to the ancestry and Christian/Western names tend to be thought of as 'sweet' (ie names like 'Milly' rather than 'Elizabeth' or 'Margaret' lol)..

People often just like the sound of them..

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures


oh i see...i did not know about Bangladesh that they have such names but in India, for sure, it's a recent trend.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

I don't think it is a universal phenomenon in Muslim countries either. Iranians, for instance, have mostly Persian names. I've also observed that other Muslim communities, such as Somalis, Bosnians, and Georgian Muslims, have mostly traditional names as well.

I wonder what the reason is for the shift away from native names on the subcontinent.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Do Iranians still keep Zoroastrian names?

Muslims of sub-continent are also the people who abandoned their ancestral religion. Is this a thought provoking issue as well?

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Yes, some people do still keep Zoroastrian names. Common Persian names like Arash, Arshan, and Rustam, are Zoroastrian in origin.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

poda?

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

History is the reason!

The story of sub-continent is not any different from England (and Britain in general) that shifted from it's Celtic and Roman roots, and heavily adopted Saxon and Norman traditions in their language and culture, as the invaders became settlers. Similarly, sub-continent had been invaded by foreign powers time and time again (and its about time people make peace with their own history), hence it is our ever so complex history and geography that's effectively and deeply shaped our appearance, identity, culture, language, heritage and lifestyle. Just to give you a slightly different but relevant example, Western India at one point in history was a colonial state of Portuguese Empire. Now today, one way to measure the lasting legacy of imperial Portugal is that people in Goa to this day and age are still giving their children Portuguese names, ad the old fashioned, visibly recognisable Catholicism is still intact in that part of India. So that's sub-continent for you. It's full of open secrets.

But just to briefly answer your question, since Islam was brought to sub-continent by Arabic, Persian and Turkish forces, the locals who converted to Islam looked up to them and took cues from them to shape their own new and distinguish identity. It's pretty similar to how newly Arab Muslims used to go to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to request him to name their child and give him/her a uniquely 'Islamic' identity. As it was a common practice amongst Arabs to name children after idols and objects, whereas Islam came with emphasis on giving children meaningful and personality defining names.

Same is the case with Pakistanis as well. I think you'd find that vast majority of Pakistanis are proud bearers of their non Arabic, non Persian family names that are basically titles of native subcontinental tribes and clans. My family name, my final-final surname is neither Arabic nor Persian.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Anyway, just to name a few names:

  • Komal
  • Kiran
  • Amber
  • Chand
  • Mani
  • Tara
  • Anila
  • Meena -Sharmila
  • Simmi (my khala's name, lol)
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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Interesting thread. I always thought it was strange that I had a Persian name that no one had heard of, but I guess they're fairly common and mine is just weird lol

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Some names not of Arab or Persian origin

Female
Meera
Veena

Male
Amir (?)
Sameer (?)
Bhakt (as in cricketers Sikander Bhakt)

? indicates I am not sure

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures


.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

.*
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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Kkf yes that's what I meant abt Meera and veena. They r Hindi or sanskriti origin. Interestingly in the west they have Mira

Finally u solved my confusion re Sikander Bhakt. I always read it as Bhakt. Am sure u r correct. Must have been Bakht. Didn't know Bakht w meant fate. Mystery solved after about 36 years.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

lolz at mystery! :hehe: i’m glad you can sleep tonight not thinking about the word. :smiley:

there are some Persian and Arabic names [typically Muslims names] have been acquired by Sikhs. one perfect example is Iqbal Singh. another is Ummeed Singh [ummeed = hope]…one more Talukdar Singh [Talukdar = ta-alluq + daar = who who has connection to something = association]

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Did sleep well though. The Bhakt/Bakht mystery was filed away as a Cold Case

Never heard if Iqbal Singh. Not sure if following has any taalluk with this thread. But I once cane across one Jurnail Singh. He said Punjabis pronounced General as Jurnail. Hence the name.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

Kiran is not Farsi. It is Sanskrit in origin and means "ray [of light]."

Amber is not Farsi either. From what I have heard (from someone who has that name and researched its origin), it is derived from the Arabic word "anbar," meaning amber, referring to both the gemstone and the colour amber.

In Persian, Mina (مینا‎) translates to "lapis lazuli [a blue coloured stone]" or "azure." Meena/Mina is also the shortened form of Meenakshi, which is Sanskrit in origin and the name of the wife of Shiva in Hindu mythology.*

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

ambar for sky and kiran for ray are both sanskrit origin words. meena is usually short for meenakshi, one with fish shaped eyes.

what about names like heer, ranjha, sassi, punhu, marvi?

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

I know a hyderabadi girl name Seema and she was muslim

Seema, might have some persian-arabic meaning but as far as I know it is Sanskrit :)

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures


you have picked a perfect name. :)

Seema [Had, border] is a Sanskrit word/name but a similar word also exists in Faarsii Seem [Seema/SeemeeN/SimiN, a female] means 'made of silver'.

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Re: Non- Arab and Non- Persian names of Muslims in our cultures

'Sitara'. A local female name.