A Name Story by Houdhoud
زَيْنَب
Zainab
ZAY-nab
“Fragrant flowering plant; beauty.”
About Zainab
Zainab is a Muslim baby girl's name meaning "fragrant flowering plant; beauty", an Arabic-Turkish name carried for centuries across the Muslim world.
Of classical Arabic origin, traditionally referring to a fragrant desert flower. Borne by Zainab bint Muhammad and Zainab bint Ali.
Strong classical name, especially common in South Asian and Arab families.
Spellings of Zainab
زَيْنَب is one name, written in Latin letters in more than one way. Every spelling below is the same name.
| Spelling | Births in England and Wales, 2025 | Births in France, 2016 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Zainabthe spelling used on this page | 385 | 430 |
| Zaynab | 149 | 1,345 |
| Zeynep | 35 | 1,105 |
| Zeinab | 9 | 300 |
| Zenab | Not listed | 140 |
Babies registered with exactly that spelling. England and Wales: Office for National Statistics, 2025 (the list covers names given to 3 or more babies). France: INSEE Fichier des prénoms, 2016 to 2025 added together (INSEE rounds each yearly count to the nearest 5).
Origin & roots
Origin
Arabic · Turkish
Gender
Girl
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 Zainab is one such word.
Across history
Who has carried Zainab before.
- Zainab bint Muhammad, daughter of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
- Zainab bint Ali, scholar and granddaughter of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
How to say it
Stressed syllable in capitals
Discover names like Zainab
Other names with the same heart: close in origin, sound, and spirit.
Common questions about Zainab
- What does the name Zainab mean?
- Zainab (زَيْنَب) means "Fragrant flowering plant; beauty". Of classical Arabic origin, traditionally referring to a fragrant desert flower. Borne by Zainab bint Muhammad and Zainab bint Ali.
- Is Zainab a name from the Qur'an?
- Houdhoud doesn't show a verse for this name. Zainab is an Arabic-Turkish name long carried across the Muslim world. We only show a Qur'anic verse when it's verified against the Tanzil corpus.
- Is Zainab a boy or a girl name?
- Zainab is traditionally a girl's name.
- Where does the name Zainab come from?
- Zainab is an Arabic-Turkish name, built on the root letters Z-Y-N-B. Strong classical name, especially common in South Asian and Arab families.
Browse names like Zainab
Collections Zainab belongs to.
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