15 common Arab names with beautiful meanings

There are names we come across so often, they teeter on the mundane. We all have a co-worker/family member/friend named Tariq or Deena, a Leena or Khalid. And we forget that, like most things Arabic, they have meanings behind them and they can be quite poetic. Common doesn't need to mean boring, especially not with these 15 Arab names.

It literally translates into "one who knocks at the door," referring mainly to travellers. Tariq is also a Surah in the Quran, and it means "night comer," or the star who watches over the world.

Nadeem is your companion and confidant, but his friendship comes with a price. You have so much fun with Nadim that you come to regret his company the next day. Nadim is a derivative of "nadam" which means regret.

In Arabic, it translates into tenderness, while in Chinese, "Li Na" means pretty, elegant.

What more can we say about Bahaa, besides the fact that he's brilliant!

Originally from the Persian empire, the name means sweet and pleasant.

Reem symbolizes purity, elegance and grace since her name is a synonym for "gazelle".

Derived from Arabic Al-Kholood, Khalid means immortal, eternal.

Jordanian Queen Rania's parents must have known she was meant for greatness when they named her Rania, which translates into queen in Hindi.

In Arabic, Rania is the feminine form of "rani", meaning the listener.

Fadi will lead you down the path to righteousness. He is a redeemer and savior, and is prepared to sacrifice himself for your well-being. You probably guessed it, Fadi is an Arabic name for Jesus.

Lubna is the sweetest- literally!

Her name translates into "the tree covered with laban (yogurt) that tastes like honey". Muslims believe Lubna is the name of a river in Heaven which the Righteous drink from.

The association this name has with notorious people (or rather, person) doesn't do it justice. Oussama, meaning lion, has a deep desire to lead. He wishes to achieve power and wealth.

Buthaina is the fairest of them all. She's a beautiful, delicate woman with soft skin.

Deena is a well-rounded girl; she's a little bit of everything. Her name means "vindicated" in Hebrew, "day" in Sanskrit, and "divine" in English. In Arabic, ironically, her meaning is not so pleasant. Deena translates into debt.

Noha is mentioned in the Qur'an to symbolize intelligence, intellect and reason.

Walid might be grown-up man, but he will always be young at heart. His name translates to newborn.