The 99 Names · Discover
Root families of the 99 Names
Arabic words grow from three-letter roots. Open a root to see which Names share it, and the everyday words that grow beside them.
Discover, no points and no timers. Pick a Name, see its three root letters light up, then find the other Names and everyday words that grow from the same root.
Families
ر ح م r-ḥ-m · womb; tender care, mercy · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- رَحِم raḥim: womb; also family ties, "the ties of the womb"
- رَحْمَة raḥma: mercy
- مَرْحَمَة marḥama: compassion (Qur'an 90:17)
- أَرْحَام arḥām: wombs; relatives (Qur'an 4:1)
A Hebrew cousin: רֶחֶם · רַחוּם reḥem · raḥum womb · merciful
م ل ك m-l-k · to own, to hold, to have authority · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- مُلْك mulk: kingship, ownership
- مَلَكُوت malakūt: kingdom, dominion (Qur'an 6:75)
- مَمْلَكَة mamlaka: a kingdom (the word in Arabic country names today)
A Hebrew cousin: מֶלֶךְ · מַלְכוּת melekh · malkhut king · kingdom
ع ز ز ʿ-z-z · to be strong; to be rare and precious, so held dear · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- عِزَّة ʿizza: might; dignity, honour
- عَزِيزِي ʿazīzī: "my dear", said to a loved one: the precious one
A Hebrew cousin: עֹז ʿoz strength
ك ب ر k-b-r · to be big, great; to grow old · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- كَبِير kabīr: big; old (of a person)
- أَكْبَر akbar: greater, as in "Allāhu akbar", God is greater
- كِبْر kibr: pride, thinking yourself big (a fault in people)
A Hebrew cousin: כַּבִּיר kabbir mighty
غ ف ر gh-f-r · to cover, to shield; so to forgive (to cover a wrong) · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- مَغْفِرَة maghfira: forgiveness
- أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰه astaghfiru llāh: "I ask God's forgiveness", said many times a day
- مِغْفَر mighfar: a soldier's helmet, the thing that covers and shields the head
ح ك م ḥ-k-m · to judge; to hold back (as a bridle holds a horse); wisdom · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- حِكْمَة ḥikma: wisdom
- حُكْم ḥukm: a ruling, judgement
- حَكِيم ḥakīm: wise; in Persian, Urdu and Turkish also a doctor (hakim)
A Hebrew cousin: חָכְמָה · חָכָם ḥokhmah · ḥakham wisdom · wise person
ع ل و ʿ-l-w · to be high, to rise · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- تَعَالَى taʿālā: "exalted is He", said after God's name
- عُلُوّ ʿuluww: height
- أَعْلَى aʿlā: higher, highest (Qur'an 87:1)
A Hebrew cousin: עֶלְיוֹן ʿElyon Most High
ج ل ل j-l-l · to be great, majestic, weighty · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- جَلَال jalāl: majesty (Qur'an 55:27)
- جَلِيل jalīl: great, majestic; also a boy's name
- إِجْلَال ijlāl: deep respect, reverence
ك ر م k-r-m · to be noble and generous · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
م ج د m-j-d · glory; fullness of honour and generosity · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- مَجْد majd: glory
- مَجِيد majīd: glorious; "the glorious Qur'an" (50:1)
- تَمْجِيد tamjīd: glorifying, praising
و ل ي w-l-y · to be near, to follow closely; so to befriend, protect and take charge · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- وَلِيّ walī: friend, protector; a guardian
- مَوْلَى mawlā: patron, master; also a close friend
- وِلَايَة wilāya: guardianship, care
ح ي ي ḥ-y-y · life · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- حَيَاة ḥayāt: life
- حَيَوَان ḥayawān: animal, a living thing; in the Qur'an also "true life" (29:64)
- تَحِيَّة taḥiyya: a greeting, literally wishing someone life
A Hebrew cousin: חַי · חַיִּים ḥay · ḥayyim living · life (as in the toast "l'chaim", to life)
و ح د w-ḥ-d · oneness; being alone, single · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- وَاحِد wāḥid: one
- تَوْحِيد tawḥīd: the oneness of God; making One
- وَحِيد waḥīd: alone, the only one
- يَوْم الأَحَد yawm al-aḥad: Sunday, "day one" (from aḥad)
A Hebrew cousin: אֶחָד eḥad one
ق د ر q-d-r · power; measure, amount · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- قُدْرَة qudra: power, ability
- قَدْر qadr: measure, worth; Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Decree (Qur'an 97:1)
- مِقْدَار miqdār: an amount, a measured quantity
- تَقْدِير taqdīr: measuring out; also appreciation
أ خ ر ʾ-kh-r · to come after; to delay; the last · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- آخِرَة ākhira: the hereafter, the life that comes after
- أُخْرَى ukhrā: other, another
- تَأْخِير taʾkhīr: a delay
A Hebrew cousin: אַחֲרוֹן · אַחַר aḥaron · aḥar last · after
غ ن ي gh-n-y · to be free of need; wealth · 2 Names
Everyday words from the same root
- غِنًى ghinā: richness, having no need
- غَنِيّ ghanī: rich
- اِسْتِغْنَاء istighnāʾ: self-sufficiency; feeling you need no one (a warning in Qur'an 96:6-7)
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ق د س q-d-s · to be pure, holy, set apart
Everyday words from the same root
- القُدْس al-Quds: Jerusalem, "the Holy"
- رُوح القُدُس rūḥ al-qudus: the Holy Spirit; in Islam, the angel Gabriel
A Hebrew cousin: קָדוֹשׁ qadosh holy
س ل م s-l-m · to be safe, sound and whole; peace
Everyday words from the same root
- سَلَام salām: peace; the greeting "as-salāmu ʿalaykum", peace be upon you
- إِسْلَام islām: surrender to God, finding wholeness
- سَلِيم salīm: sound, healthy (a "whole heart", Qur'an 26:89)
A Hebrew cousin: שָׁלוֹם shalom peace, wholeness
أ م ن ʾ-m-n · to be safe; to trust; faith
Everyday words from the same root
- أَمْن amn: safety, security
- إِيمَان īmān: faith
- أَمِين amīn: trustworthy; also "āmīn", amen
A Hebrew cousin: אָמֵן · אֱמוּנָה amen · emunah amen, so be it · faithfulness
ه ي م ن h-y-m-n · to watch over, to guard and witness over
Everyday words from the same root
- هَيْمَنَة haymana: oversight, control
- مُهَيْمِن muhaymin: watching over; the Qur'an calls itself "muhaymin" over earlier scripture (5:48)
ج ب ر j-b-r · to set a broken bone, to mend; to compel
Everyday words from the same root
- جَبِيرَة jabīra: a splint for a broken bone
- الجَبْر al-jabr: restoring; the word "algebra" comes from al-Khwārizmī's book al-Jabr
A Hebrew cousin: גִּבּוֹר gibbor mighty one, hero
خ ل ق kh-l-q · to measure out and shape; to create
Everyday words from the same root
- خَلْق khalq: creation; created things
- خُلُق khuluq: character, manners (Qur'an 68:4)
ب ر ء b-r-ʾ · to create, to bring out; to be free and clear of
Everyday words from the same root
- بَرِيَّة bariyya: creation, all creatures (Qur'an 98:7)
- بَرَاءَة barāʾa: innocence; being clear of something
A Hebrew cousin: בָּרָא bara created
ص و ر ṣ-w-r · to give shape and form
Everyday words from the same root
- صُورَة ṣūra: a picture, an image, a form
- تَصْوِير taṣwīr: shaping; today also photography
ق ه ر q-h-r · to overpower, to subdue
Everyday words from the same root
- قَهْر qahr: force, domination
- القَاهِرَة al-Qāhira: Cairo, "the Victorious"
و ه ب w-h-b · to give freely, as a gift
Everyday words from the same root
- هِبَة hiba: a gift
- مَوْهِبَة mawhiba: a talent, a gift you were born with
A Hebrew cousin: יָהַב yahav to give
ر ز ق r-z-q · provision, what is given to live on
Everyday words from the same root
- رِزْق rizq: provision, livelihood, daily bread
- مَرْزُوق marzūq: provided for; also a name
ف ت ح f-t-ḥ · to open; to win through; to judge between
Everyday words from the same root
- فَتْح fatḥ: opening; a victory
- مِفْتَاح miftāḥ: a key
- الفَاتِحَة al-Fātiḥa: "the Opening", the first chapter of the Qur'an
A Hebrew cousin: פָּתַח · פֶּתַח patach · petaḥ to open · a doorway
ع ل م ʿ-l-m · to know; a mark or sign
Everyday words from the same root
- عِلْم ʿilm: knowledge, science
- عَالَم ʿālam: world (Qur'an 1:2, "Lord of the worlds")
- عَلَامَة ʿalāma: a sign, a mark
ق ب ض q-b-ḍ · to grasp, to close the hand, to hold back
Everyday words from the same root
- قَبْضَة qabḍa: a handful; a fist
- قَبْض qabḍ: taking hold; arrest
ب س ط b-s-ṭ · to spread out, to open wide
Everyday words from the same root
- بِسَاط bisāṭ: a carpet, a spread mat (Qur'an 71:19)
- بَسِيط basīṭ: simple, plain; spread flat
خ ف ض kh-f-ḍ · to lower
Everyday words from the same root
- اِنْخِفَاض inkhifāḍ: a fall, a drop (in temperature or price)
- خَفْض الجَنَاح khafḍ al-janāḥ: "lowering the wing", gentleness to parents (Qur'an 17:24)
ر ف ع r-f-ʿ · to raise, to lift up
Everyday words from the same root
- رَفِيع rafīʿ: high, raised; refined
- اِرْتِفَاع irtifāʿ: height, altitude
ذ ل ل dh-l-l · to be low, humbled; to be easy to handle
Everyday words from the same root
- ذُلّ dhull: humiliation, lowliness
- ذَلُول dhalūl: tame, easy to ride; the earth made "dhalūl" for us (Qur'an 67:15)
س م ع s-m-ʿ · to hear, to listen
Everyday words from the same root
- سَمْع samʿ: hearing
- مُسْتَمِع mustamiʿ: a listener
A Hebrew cousin: שְׁמַע shema hear!
ب ص ر b-ṣ-r · to see; insight
Everyday words from the same root
- بَصَر baṣar: eyesight
- بَصِيرَة baṣīra: insight, seeing with the heart (Qur'an 12:108)
ع د ل ʿ-d-l · to be level, balanced, equal; justice
Everyday words from the same root
- عَدْل ʿadl: justice, fairness
- اِعْتِدَال iʿtidāl: balance, moderation; the equinox
ل ط ف l-ṭ-f · to be fine, delicate; gentle and kind
Everyday words from the same root
- لُطْف luṭf: kindness, grace
- لَطِيف laṭīf: gentle; also fine, slender, and in everyday Arabic "nice"
خ ب ر kh-b-r · to know the inner news of something
Everyday words from the same root
- خَبَر khabar: news
- خِبْرَة khibra: experience, expertise
ح ل م ḥ-l-m · to be forbearing, calm, slow to anger; (with other vowels) to dream
Everyday words from the same root
- حِلْم ḥilm: forbearance, gentle patience
- حُلْم ḥulm: a dream; also coming of age (Qur'an 24:59)
A Hebrew cousin: חֲלוֹם ḥalom a dream
ع ظ م ʿ-ẓ-m · to be great; a bone, the strong frame
Everyday words from the same root
- عَظَمَة ʿaẓama: greatness, grandeur
- عَظْم ʿaẓm: a bone (Qur'an 2:259)
A Hebrew cousin: עֶצֶם · עָצוּם ʿetsem · ʿatsum bone · mighty
ش ك ر sh-k-r · to thank; (of an animal) to thrive on little
Everyday words from the same root
- شُكْر shukr: thanks
- شُكْرًا shukran: "thank you"
ح ف ظ ḥ-f-ẓ · to guard, keep safe; to learn by heart
Everyday words from the same root
- حَافِظ ḥāfiẓ: a guardian; someone who knows the whole Qur'an by heart
- مَحْفُوظ maḥfūẓ: kept safe, preserved (Qur'an 85:22)
ق و ت q-w-t · food, daily nourishment
Everyday words from the same root
- قُوت qūt: food, daily bread
- أَقْوَات aqwāt: foods, provisions (Qur'an 41:10)
ح س ب ḥ-s-b · to count, to reckon; enough
Everyday words from the same root
- حِسَاب ḥisāb: arithmetic; an account; the reckoning
- حَسْبِي ḥasbī: "enough for me", as in "God is enough for me"
A Hebrew cousin: חָשַׁב ḥashav to count, to reckon, to think
ر ق ب r-q-b · to watch closely; the neck
Everyday words from the same root
- مُرَاقَبَة murāqaba: watching, monitoring; in Sufi practice, mindful watchfulness
- رَقَبَة raqaba: the neck (the part you turn to watch)
ج و ب j-w-b · to answer; to travel through
Everyday words from the same root
- جَوَاب jawāb: an answer
- اِسْتِجَابَة istijāba: a response; God answering a prayer (Qur'an 2:186)
و س ع w-s-ʿ · to be wide, spacious; to have room for
Everyday words from the same root
- وَاسِع wāsiʿ: wide, spacious
- وُسْع wusʿ: capacity: "Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope" (Qur'an 2:286)
A Hebrew cousin: יָשַׁע · יְשׁוּעָה yashaʿ · yeshuʿah to save · salvation
و د د w-d-d · to love; to wish for
Everyday words from the same root
- مَوَدَّة mawadda: affection, love between spouses (Qur'an 30:21)
- وُدّ wudd: love, friendliness (Qur'an 19:96)
A Hebrew cousin: יְדִיד yedid beloved
ب ع ث b-ʿ-th · to send; to raise up, to awaken
Everyday words from the same root
- بَعْث baʿth: sending; the raising of the dead
- بَعْثَة baʿtha: a mission, a delegation
ش ه د sh-h-d · to be present, to witness, to testify
Everyday words from the same root
- شَهَادَة shahāda: testimony; the declaration of faith
- مَشْهَد mashhad: a scene, a sight
ح ق ق ḥ-q-q · to be true, real, due; a right
Everyday words from the same root
- حَقّ ḥaqq: truth; a right that is owed
- حَقِيقَة ḥaqīqa: reality, fact
A Hebrew cousin: חֹק ḥoq a statute, a decree (something engraved and fixed)
و ك ل w-k-l · to entrust, to rely on
Everyday words from the same root
- وَكِيل wakīl: an agent, someone you trust to act for you
- تَوَكُّل tawakkul: trust in God
ق و ي q-w-y · strength
Everyday words from the same root
- قُوَّة quwwa: strength, power
- قَوِيّ qawī: strong
م ت ن m-t-n · to be firm, solid; the strong back
Everyday words from the same root
- مَتِين matīn: firm, solid, strong
- مَتْن matn: the main text; the back, the firm part
ح م د ḥ-m-d · praise
Everyday words from the same root
- الحَمْدُ لِلّٰه al-ḥamdu li-llāh: "praise be to God"
- مُحَمَّد Muḥammad: "much praised", the name of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him)
- أَحْمَد Aḥmad: "most praised", a name
A Hebrew cousin: חָמַד ḥamad to desire, to delight in
ح ص ي ḥ-ṣ-y · to count, using pebbles
Everyday words from the same root
- حَصَى ḥaṣā: pebbles
- إِحْصَاء iḥṣāʾ: statistics, a census, counting
ب د ء b-d-ʾ · to begin, to start
Everyday words from the same root
- بِدَايَة bidāya: a beginning
- مَبْدَأ mabdaʾ: a principle, a starting point
ع و د ʿ-w-d · to return, to come back, to repeat
Everyday words from the same root
- عِيد ʿīd: a festival, the day that comes back each year
- عَادَة ʿāda: a habit, a custom
A Hebrew cousin: עוֹד ʿod again, still
م و ت m-w-t · death
Everyday words from the same root
- مَوْت mawt: death
- مَيِّت mayyit: dead; a dead person
A Hebrew cousin: מָוֶת mavet death
ق و م q-w-m · to stand, to rise up, to set right
Everyday words from the same root
- قِيَامَة qiyāma: the Resurrection, "the Standing"
- قَوْم qawm: a people
- مُسْتَقِيم mustaqīm: straight, upright (Qur'an 1:6, "the straight path")
A Hebrew cousin: קוּם qum to rise, to stand
و ج د w-j-d · to find; to exist
Everyday words from the same root
- وُجُود wujūd: existence, being
- وَجَدَ wajada: he found
ص م د ṣ-m-d · to turn to, to aim for; something solid with no hollow
Everyday words from the same root
- صَمَد ṣamad: one turned to in need (Qur'an 112:2)
- صُمُود ṣumūd: steadfastness, holding firm
ق د م q-d-m · to come before, to go first; a foot
Everyday words from the same root
- قَدِيم qadīm: old, ancient
- قَدَم qadam: a foot
- تَقَدُّم taqaddum: progress, going forward
A Hebrew cousin: קֶדֶם qedem before; the east; of old
أ و ل ʾ-w-l · to go back to a source; first
Everyday words from the same root
- أَوَّل awwal: first
- تَأْوِيل taʾwīl: interpretation, tracing a thing back to its meaning
ظ ه ر ẓ-h-r · to appear, to be on the outside; the back; noon
Everyday words from the same root
- ظُهْر ẓuhr: noon; the midday prayer
- ظَهْر ẓahr: the back
- مَظْهَر maẓhar: appearance
A Hebrew cousin: צָהֳרַיִם tsohorayim noon
ب ط ن b-ṭ-n · the inside; the belly
Everyday words from the same root
- بَطْن baṭn: the belly, the inside
- بَاطِن bāṭin: inner, hidden
A Hebrew cousin: בֶּטֶן beten belly, womb
ب ر ر b-r-r · goodness, kindness, keeping faith; (with other vowels) dry land
Everyday words from the same root
- بِرّ birr: goodness, kindness, especially to parents
- بَرّ barr: dry land (as against the sea)
ت و ب t-w-b · to turn back, to return, to repent
Everyday words from the same root
- تَوْبَة tawba: repentance, turning back to God
- تَائِب tāʾib: someone who has turned back
A Hebrew cousin: שׁוּב · תְּשׁוּבָה shuv · teshuvah to return · repentance
ن ق م n-q-m · to take retribution, to punish
Everyday words from the same root
- اِنْتِقَام intiqām: revenge, retribution
- نِقْمَة niqma: punishment; resentment
A Hebrew cousin: נָקָם naqam vengeance
ع ف و ʿ-f-w · to pardon; to wipe out, efface (as wind wipes out tracks)
Everyday words from the same root
- عَفْو ʿafw: pardon
- عَافِيَة ʿāfiya: good health, well-being
ر ء ف r-ʾ-f · tender compassion
Everyday words from the same root
- رَأْفَة raʾfa: tenderness, gentle pity
- رَؤُوف raʾūf: very kind, tender
ق س ط q-s-ṭ · justice; a fair share, a just measure
Everyday words from the same root
- قِسْط qisṭ: justice; an instalment, a share
- قِسْطَاس qisṭās: a balance, scales (Qur'an 17:35)
ج م ع j-m-ʿ · to gather, to bring together
Everyday words from the same root
- جَامِع jāmiʿ: a large mosque, where people gather; a university (jāmiʿa)
- الجُمُعَة al-jumuʿa: Friday, the day of gathering
م ن ع m-n-ʿ · to prevent, to hold back; to protect
Everyday words from the same root
- مَنَاعَة manāʿa: immunity (the body's protection)
- مَمْنُوع mamnūʿ: forbidden, not allowed
A Hebrew cousin: מָנַע manaʿ to withhold
ض ر ر ḍ-r-r · harm, hurt
Everyday words from the same root
- ضَرَر ḍarar: harm, damage
- ضَرُورَة ḍarūra: necessity, need
A Hebrew cousin: צַר · צָרָה tsar · tsarah enemy, distress
ن ف ع n-f-ʿ · benefit, use
Everyday words from the same root
- نَفْع nafʿ: benefit
- مَنَافِع manāfiʿ: benefits, uses (Qur'an 16:5)
ن و ر n-w-r · light
Everyday words from the same root
- نُور nūr: light
- مَنَارَة manāra: a lighthouse; a minaret, "place of light"
- نَار nār: fire
A Hebrew cousin: נֵר ner a lamp
ه د ي h-d-y · to guide; a gift
Everyday words from the same root
- هُدًى hudan: guidance
- هَدِيَّة hadiyya: a present, a gift
ب د ع b-d-ʿ · to make something new, never made before
Everyday words from the same root
- بَدِيع badīʿ: wonderful, original
- إِبْدَاع ibdāʿ: creativity
ب ق ي b-q-y · to remain, to last
Everyday words from the same root
- بَاقٍ bāqin: lasting
- بَقِيَّة baqiyya: what is left, the remainder
و ر ث w-r-th · to inherit
Everyday words from the same root
- مِيرَاث mīrāth: an inheritance
- تُرَاث turāth: heritage
A Hebrew cousin: יָרַשׁ · יְרֻשָּׁה yarash · yerushah to inherit · inheritance
ر ش د r-sh-d · right guidance; maturity, good sense
Everyday words from the same root
- رُشْد rushd: right direction; coming of age
- مُرْشِد murshid: a guide, a mentor
ص ب ر ṣ-b-r · patience, endurance; to hold yourself steady
Everyday words from the same root
- صَبْر ṣabr: patience
- صَبَّار ṣabbār: a cactus: the plant that endures
Root for each Name checked against the Quranic Arabic Corpus root dictionary (corpus.quran.com) and standard lexicons; Hebrew cousins only where standard lexicons recognise a cognate, with a confidence note. Arabic letters are root letters, written separately.
Watch more: Root families of the 99 Names
7 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.
How Similar Are ARABIC and HEBREW? (Massive reboot)
Langfocus · 24 min
Langfocus: how similar are Arabic and Hebrew? Both build words from roots.
The Origins of Arabic
Let's Talk Religion · 22 min
Let's Talk Religion: the origins of the Arabic language.
How Similar Are Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Aramaic?
Langfocus · 22 min
Can Arabic Speakers Understand Maltese?
Langfocus · 29 min
Langfocus: can Arabic speakers understand Maltese? Roots shared across languages.
Tafsir Surat al-Fatihah 6: Meaning of the name Allah ~ Dr. Yasir Qadhi | 3rd July 2014
Yasir Qadhi · 16 min
The 3 Levels of Gratitude. | The Names Class 29: Al-Hamid | Shaykh Mikaeel Smith
Qalam Institute · 2 min
Qalam Institute: the three levels of gratitude, from the Name al-Hamid and its root.
Jewish, Muslim and Christian Arabic: Dr Esther-Miriam Wagner
WoolfInstitute · 8 min
- More films and talks on F-ILMWatch free