A Name Story by Houdhoud
خَلِيل
Khalil
kha-LEEL
“Friend, close companion.”
About Khalil
Khalil is a Muslim baby boy's name meaning "friend, close companion" — an Arabic name carried for centuries across the Muslim world.
From the Arabic root خ-ل-ل. Khalil Allah ('Friend of God') was an epithet of the Prophet Ibrahim ﷺ.
Origin & roots
Origin
Arabic
Gender
Boy
Also spelled
Khaleel
Root letters
In Arabic, root letters are the seed that gives a word its meaning. Every word built from them inherits that family of meaning — and Khalil is one such word.
Across history
Who has carried Khalil before.
- Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), Lebanese-American writer
How to say it
Stressed syllable in capitals
Discover names like Khalil
Other names with the same heart — close in origin, sound, and spirit.
ka-REEM · Arabic
“Generous, noble.”
NOOH · Arabic · Arabic-Hebrew
“Comfort, rest.”
sal-MAAN · Arabic
“Safe, sound.”
RAY-haan · Arabic · Urdu
“Sweet basil; fragrant herb.”
YOO-nus · Arabic · Arabic-Hebrew
“Dove.”
YOO-suf · Arabic-Hebrew · Arabic
“He shall add; God increases.”
Common questions about Khalil
- What does the name Khalil mean?
- Khalil (خَلِيل) means "Friend, close companion". From the Arabic root خ-ل-ل. Khalil Allah ('Friend of God') was an epithet of the Prophet Ibrahim ﷺ.
- Is Khalil a name from the Qur'an?
- Khalil does not appear directly in the Qur'an in our verified records, though it is an Arabic name long carried across the Muslim world. We only list a Qur'anic verse when it's verified against the Tanzil corpus.
- Is Khalil a boy or a girl name?
- Khalil is traditionally a boy's name.
- Where does the name Khalil come from?
- Khalil is an Arabic name, built on the root letters Kh-L-L.
Browse names like Khalil
Collections Khalil belongs to.
Looking for a name made for your family?
I’ll ask six warm questions about your family — heritage, the sound you love, who you’d like to honor — and find names made for yours. About ninety seconds.
Free · No sign-up