Houdhoud, the hoopoe

A Name Story by Houdhoud

شَام

Sham

SHAAM

The Levant; sweet basil.”

About Sham

Sham is a Muslim baby girl's name meaning "the levant; sweet basil" — an Arabic name carried for centuries across the Muslim world.

Classical Arabic for the Levantine region (Bilad al-Sham), and in some usages for sweet basil. Used as a girl's name, especially in Syria.

Particularly popular in Syrian and Iraqi families.

Origin & roots

Origin

Arabic

Gender

Girl

Also spelled

Shaam

Root letters

ش أ مSh-ʾ-M

In Arabic, root letters are the seed that gives a word its meaning. Every word built from them inherits that family of meaning — and Sham is one such word.

How to say it

SHAAM

Stressed syllable in capitals

Discover names like Sham

Other names with the same heart — close in origin, sound, and spirit.

Common questions about Sham

What does the name Sham mean?
Sham (شَام) means "The Levant; sweet basil". Classical Arabic for the Levantine region (Bilad al-Sham), and in some usages for sweet basil. Used as a girl's name, especially in Syria.
Is Sham a name from the Qur'an?
Sham 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 Sham a boy or a girl name?
Sham is traditionally a girl's name.
Where does the name Sham come from?
Sham is an Arabic name, built on the root letters Sh-ʾ-M. Particularly popular in Syrian and Iraqi families.

Browse names like Sham

Collections Sham 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

Sham Name Meaning, Origin & Pronunciation | شَام