ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1636 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1636 ************************************ 21 May 1999 From: (Josh Mittleman) Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for our opinion of as a Arabic man's name used in the 13th or 14th century. With a few minor alterations, it is a fine name. was used as a man's name in period [1]. The name means 'friend'; 'the friend (of God)' was used as an epithet for the biblical Abraham [2]. It therefore seems likely that the meaning of the name was apparent at least to educated Muslims in our period. The <:> indicates that the previous vowel is lengthened in pronunciation; in some transcription systems, the name is written , without the length marker. is a laqab, a devotional epithet. This one follows a common form: "servant" plus one of the attributes of Allah. In this case, the phrase means "servant of the all-knowing" [3]. Again, people would understand the meaning of this name. In some transcription systems, this name is written . We believe that a typical upper-class Muslim would have used at least one additional name: a nasab (which describes you as someone's son) or a kunya (which describes you as someone's father), or both [4]. A nasab is formed with "son" followed by your father's given name (or whatever name he was known by), e.g. or . A kunya is construction from "father" followed by your son's given name, e.g. . A nasab follows your given name and laqab; the kunya precedes them. You can find more given names from which to create one of these bynames in some articles we've posted on the web. You'll find links to them at: http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/islamic.html In summary, we recommend that you use either or . We hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. We were assisted in researching and writing this letter by Talan Gwynek. For the Academy, Juliana de Luna & Arval Benicoeur 21 May 1999 ----------------------------------------------------- References [1] Da'ud ibn Auda, "Arabic Naming Practices and Names List," _Compleat Anachronist_ #51, "The Islamic World" (Milpitas: SCA, Inc, Autumn 1990; WWW: J. Mittleman, 1998) [URL:http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/daud/arabic-naming/] [2] Baker, Mona, 'Common Names in the Arab World', Supplement 1 to Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges, _A Dictionary of First Names_ (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988, 1990). [3] Mustapha al-Muhaddith ibn al-Saqaat "The One Hundred Most Beautiful Names of God", _The Caidan KWHS Proceedings_, 1989. [4] Bourin, Monique, Jean-Marie-Martin, and Francois Menant, eds., _L'Anthroponymie: Document de l'Histoire Sociale des Mondes Me/diterrane/ens Me/die/vaux_, Collection de l'E/cole Franc,aise de Rome, 226 (Rome: E/cole Franc,aise de Rome, 1996).