A Name Story by Houdhoud
إِسْرَاء
Esra
ES-rah
“Night journey.”
About Esra
Esra is a Muslim baby girl's name meaning "night journey" — a Turkish-Arabic name carried for centuries across the Muslim world.
From the Arabic 'isra' — the Night Journey of the Prophet ﷺ. Surah 17 is named Al-Isra.
Very common in Turkish families.
Origin & roots
Origin
Turkish · Arabic
Gender
Girl
Root letters
Turkish absorbed thousands of Arabic-rooted words after the Anatolian conversion; Esra's root letters sit at the seam.
In the Qur’an
Surah 17 : Ayah 1
سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى
“Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa.”
Saheeh International translation · sourced from Tanzil
The root letters of Esra live inside this verse — a quiet thread connecting the name to the words of revelation.
How to say it
Stressed syllable in capitals
Discover names like Esra
Other names with the same heart — close in origin, sound, and spirit.
EH-lif · Turkish · Arabic
“The first letter of the Arabic alphabet; tall and graceful.”
ZEH-ra · Turkish · Arabic
“Radiant, shining.”
MER-veh · Turkish · Arabic
“Mount Marwa.”
ES-ma · Turkish · Arabic
“Sublime, lofty.”
hee-LAAL · Turkish · Arabic
“Crescent moon.”
ee-REM · Turkish · Arabic
“Iram (the legendary garden).”
Common questions about Esra
- What does the name Esra mean?
- Esra (إِسْرَاء) means "Night journey". From the Arabic 'isra' — the Night Journey of the Prophet ﷺ. Surah 17 is named Al-Isra.
- Is Esra a name from the Qur'an?
- Esra shares its root letters with the Qur'an: the verse in Surah 17, Ayah 1 carries the same root. The verse and its translation, sourced from Tanzil, are on this page.
- Is Esra a boy or a girl name?
- Esra is traditionally a girl's name.
- Where does the name Esra come from?
- Esra is a Turkish-Arabic name, built on the root letters S-R-Y. Very common in Turkish families.
Browse names like Esra
Collections Esra belongs to.
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