Buzz
As an Arab American, you often resign yourself to the fact that your name will rarely be pronounced or spelled correctly without your intervention. In celebration of Arab American Heritage Month, we’re decoding the syllables and sounds of 25 frequently mispronounced Arabic names. Relax your jaw, raise your eyebrows, and add a guttural touch—soon, you’ll be speaking like a native and dancing the Dabke effortlessly. Yalla—grab some kibbeh and let’s dive in!
1. Khouloud
Khouloud (or Khulud), meaning “immortal” in Arabic, is pronounced “huh-LOOD,” with “LOOD” rhyming with “food.”
2. Toufiq
Even some Arabic speakers find this one tricky. If you’re struggling, remember it’s pronounced “too-FEEK,” not “two feet.”
3. Fouad
It’s neither “food” nor “fah-ODE”—Fouad is correctly pronounced “FOO-ahd.”
4. Rami
Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek doesn’t say his name as “RAY-me”—it’s pronounced “RAH-me.”
5. Tarik
Some write Tarik with an i, while Flip or Flop star Tarek El Mousa uses an e. Regardless, it’s pronounced “TAH-rick.”
6. Khalid
Arabic speakers might be hoping DJ Khaled will one day shout, “It’s not ‘kah-lid’! It’s ‘HAH-lid’!” In Arabic, the k is silent. (Khaled himself pronounces the k, but once mentioned, “Some people call me ‘ka-LEED,’ they don’t know how to say it,” noting that in Palestine, where his parents are from, “they’d say ‘HAH-lid.’”)
7. Bashar
Bashar, meaning “bringer of good news,” is pronounced “buh-shar.”
8. Farouk
Geologist and space photographer Dr. Farouk el-Baz is a trailblazer and an icon; the Egyptian American scientist played a crucial role in the Apollo moon missions. Make sure you get his name right: It’s pronounced “fa-ROOK,” with the second syllable rhyming with “duke.”
9. Hadid
Model Gigi Hadid’s actual first name is Jelena. As she toldVogue in 2015, “In first or second grade, there was a girl named Helena, and it got confusing for the teacher when calling our names. So, the teacher asked my mom [Yolanda Hadid], ‘If I needed to use a nickname for Jelena, what would it be?’ My mom said, ‘I sometimes call her Gigi,’ and the name stuck.” (Gigi was also Yolanda’s childhood nickname.) Gigi’s last name is pronounced “ha-DEED.”
10. Bushra
Bushra, pronounced “BOO-shra,” means “good news” or “good omen” in English and is a widely used girls’ name in Turkey. It’s so common that it can be compared to popular American names like Olivia or Emma.
11. Hatem
The mispronunciation of Hatem—correctly said as “HAT-em”—is especially challenging for Arabs with the same first and last name. This phenomenon is scientifically termed tautonym, and in linguistics, it’s akin to reduplication.
12. Maysoon
Comedian, actress, and self-described “disabled diva” Maysoon Zayid not only captivates audiences with her sharp humor and brilliant insights—she also shatters TED Talk records like they’re glass ceilings. Her TED Talk, “I Got 99 Problems … Palsy Is Just One,” was among the most viewed in 2014, and her name is pronounced “MAY-soon.”
13. Haifa
Haifa—pronounced “HI-fuh”—is the third largest city in Israel, following Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and also a girl’s name meaning “slender, delicate.” It can alternatively be spelled Hayfa.
14. Nesreen
Nesreen is pronounced “ness-REEN” and means “wild rose.” The name can also be spelled as Nesrin, Nesrine, or Nasreen, depending on the region.
15. Rana
To pronounce Rana like an Arabic speaker, say “RAH-nah.” If you’re aiming for a simpler version, “RAH-nuh” is acceptable.
16. Khouri
Whether written as Khoury or Khouri, this name is always pronounced “WHO-ree.” Similar to Khalid, the k is silent.
17. Anwar
Anwar, an Arabic name meaning “light,” is pronounced “AHN-war.”
18. Jamil
While “Jay-MILL” might sound catchy, this common boys’ name is correctly pronounced “jah-MEEL.”
19. Murad
Murad—pronounced “moo-RAHD”—means “wanted, desired, or wished for.” If the name sounds familiar, take a look at your skincare products: You might own something from Murad Skincare, established by Dr. Howard Murad in 1989.
20. Amir
Amir often means “prince,” but for chess enthusiasts, it might bring to mind “chess grandmaster Amir Bagheri.” It’s pronounced “AH-meer,” not “UH-meer.”
21. Isam
While you might think Isam—which means “protection or security” in Arabic—is pronounced “ih-sahm,” the correct pronunciation is “eh-hee-SAHM.”
22. Mazen
The spelling alternates between Mazin and Mazen for this well-loved boys’ name, but regardless of spelling, it’s pronounced “MA-zen”—with the “a” sound as in “cat”—not “MAY-zen.”
23. Samira
Though you might shorten it to Sam, the name Samira is correctly pronounced “sah-MEER-ah,” not “sam-EYE-ra.”
24. Hanadi
Hanadi, a girls’ name meaning “beautiful face” or “lovely scent,” may not appear as charming when spelled phonetically as “huh-NA-dee.”
25. Amal
Lawyer and activist Amal Clooney, born in Lebanon with dual Lebanese and British citizenship, has a first name pronounced “ah-mull” in Arabic, though her husband George says it as “ah-MALL.”
Are you a word enthusiast? Do you enjoy uncovering rare terms and vintage slang to spice up conversations, or exploring the fascinating origins of common phrases? Then check out our new book, The Curious Compendium of Wonderful Words: A Miscellany of Obscure Terms, Bizarre Phrases, & Surprising Etymologies, releasing June 6! Pre-order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, or Bookshop.org.
