Egyptian Last Names

These Egyptian last names are shown in Latin letters with the Arabic script beside them, from Mohamed and Abdel-Rahman to Gomaa, Hegazy and Boutros, listed A to Z with the meaning of each name and its roots.

277 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abanoub أبانوب

Coptic saint's name, from Egyptian nub, gold
Abaza أباظة

Of Abaza (Abkhaz) origin; notable landowning family
Abbas عباس

Stern; lion; Prophet's uncle
Abdallah عبد الله

Servant of God
Abdel-Aal عبد العال

Servant of the Most High
Abdel-Aziz عبد العزيز

Servant of the Almighty
Abdel-Baky عبد الباقي

Servant of the Everlasting
Abdel-Fattah عبد الفتاح

Servant of the Opener
Abdel-Gawad عبد الجواد

Servant of the Bountiful
Abdel-Ghani عبد الغني

Servant of the Self-Sufficient
Abdel-Hady عبد الهادي

Servant of the Guide
Abdel-Hafez عبد الحافظ

Servant of the Preserver
Abdel-Halim عبد الحليم

Servant of the Forbearing
Abdel-Hamid عبد الحميد

Servant of the Praiseworthy
Abdel-Kader عبد القادر

Servant of the Capable
Abdel-Karim عبد الكريم

Servant of the Generous
Abdel-Latif عبد اللطيف

Servant of the Gentle
Abdel-Maksoud عبد المقصود

Servant of the Sought One
Abdel-Malak عبد الملاك

Servant of the angel (Coptic)
Abdel-Meguid عبد المجيد

Servant of the Glorious
Abdel-Messih عبد المسيح

Servant of the Messiah (Coptic)
Abdel-Moneim عبد المنعم

Servant of the Bestower
Abdel-Mottaleb عبد المطلب

After the Prophet's grandfather Abd al-Muttalib
Abdel-Nasser عبد الناصر

Servant of the Helper (God)
Abdel-Nour عبد النور

Servant of the Light
Abdel-Rahim عبد الرحيم

Servant of the Compassionate
Abdel-Rahman عبد الرحمن

Servant of the Most Merciful
Abdel-Razek عبد الرازق

Servant of the Provider
Abdel-Salam عبد السلام

Servant of the Source of Peace
Abdel-Samad عبد الصمد

Servant of the Eternal
Abdel-Sayed عبد السيد

Servant of the Lord (Coptic)
Abdel-Shahid عبد الشهيد

Servant of the martyr (Coptic)
Abdel-Tawab عبد التواب

Servant of the Accepter of Repentance
Abdel-Wahab عبد الوهاب

Servant of the Giver
Abdou عبده

His servant (of God)
Abou-Elela أبو العلا

Father of loftiness
Abou-Ghazala أبو غزالة

Father of the gazelle
Abou-Seif أبو سيف

Father of the sword
Abou-Zeid أبو زيد

Father of Zeid
Adel عادل

Just; fair
Adly عدلي

Of justice; fair
Afifi عفيفي

Chaste; virtuous
Ahmed أحمد

Most praiseworthy
Ali علي

Exalted; sublime
Allam علام

Most knowing; learned
Amer عامر

Prosperous; flourishing
Antoun أنطون

Anthony; after St. Anthony of Egypt
Anwar أنور

Brighter; more luminous
Ashour عاشور

Born on the day of Ashura
Ashraf أشرف

Most noble; most honorable
Aswany أسواني

From Aswan
El-Attar العطار

Perfumer; spice and herb seller
Attia عطية

Gift; present
Awad عوض

Compensation; recompense
Ayad عياد

Of feasts; celebrant

B

Badawy بدوي

Bedouin; devotee of Sayyid al-Badawi
Badr بدر

Full moon
El-Badry البدري

Of the full moon; linked to Badr
Bakhoum باخوم

After Pachomius, founder of Coptic monasticism
Bakr بكر

Young camel
Bakry بكري

Descendant of the caliph Abu Bakr
El-Baradei البرادعي

Maker of donkey saddles (barda'a)
Barakat بركات

Blessings
Barsoum برسوم

Syriac 'son of fasting'; Coptic saint
Bayoumi بيومي

Follower of the Bayoumi Sufi order
Beshara بشارة

Good news; the Annunciation
Bishay بشاي

After St. Bishoy, Coptic desert monk
Boutros بطرس

Peter; rock (Coptic Christian)

D

Dahab ذهب

Gold
Darwish درويش

Dervish; ascetic Sufi
El-Deeb الديب

The wolf
Desouky دسوقي

From Desouk; follower of Ibrahim al-Desouki
Diab دياب

Wolves
Dongolawy دنقلاوي

From Dongola in Nubia

E

Ebeid عبيد

Little servant (of God)
Eid عيد

Feast; festival
Eissa عيسى

Jesus
Elwan علوان

Loftiness; high standing
Emam إمام

Imam; prayer leader
Emara عمارة

Building; prosperity
El-Erian العريان

The bare; the unadorned
Estefanous إستفانوس

Stephen; crown (Coptic)
Ezz عز

Might; glory; honor
Ezzat عزت

Might; honor; dignity

F

Fadl فضل

Grace; bounty; merit
Fahmy فهمي

Of understanding; perceptive
Fakhry فخري

Of pride; honorary
Fanous فانوس

Lantern
Farag فرج

Relief; deliverance from hardship
Farid فريد

Unique; unrivaled
Farouk فاروق

One who distinguishes right from wrong
Fathy فتحي

Of victory; of opening
Fawzy فوزي

Of triumph; successful
Fikry فكري

Of thought; intellectual
El-Fiky الفقي

Religious teacher; Quran reciter
Fouad فؤاد

Heart

G

Gaber جابر

Consoler; one who restores
Galal جلال

Majesty; glory
Gamal جمال

Beauty; grace
El-Gamal الجمل

The camel; camel driver
Ghali غالي

Precious; dear
Ghanem غانم

Winner; one who gains
Ghobrial غبريال

Gabriel; God is my strength (Coptic)
Ghoneim غنيم

Small gain; little spoils
Girgis جرجس

George; farmer (Coptic)
El-Gohary الجوهري

Jeweller; dealer in gems
Gomaa جمعة

Born on Friday; gathering
Guindy جندي

Soldier

H

Habashy حبشي

Abyssinian; of Ethiopian origin
Habib حبيب

Beloved; dear
El-Haddad الحداد

The blacksmith
Hafez حافظ

Guardian; one who memorized the Quran
Hagag حجاج

Pilgrims; frequent pilgrim
El-Hakim الحكيم

The wise one; physician
Hamdan حمدان

Praise; one who praises
Hamdy حمدي

Of praise; grateful
Hamed حامد

Praising; thankful
Hammad حماد

One who praises much
Hamouda حمودة

Affectionate form of Mahmoud or Mohamed
Hamza حمزة

Strong; steadfast
El-Hanafy الحنفي

Follower of the Hanafi school of law
Hanna حنا

John; God is gracious (Coptic)
Hashem هاشم

Crusher of bread; Prophet's great-grandfather
Hassan حسن

Handsome; good
Hegab حجاب

Veil; protective amulet
Hegazy حجازي

From the Hejaz region of Arabia
Heikal هيكل

Temple; large frame
Helmy حلمي

Forbearing; patient
Hendawy هنداوي

Possibly Indian, or linked to Hind
Hilal هلال

Crescent moon
Hosny حسني

Of goodness; beautiful
Hussein حسين

Little handsome one

I

Ibrahim إبراهيم

Abraham; father of many
Iskander إسكندر

Alexander; defender of men
Ismail إسماعيل

Ishmael; God hears

K

El-Kady القاضي

The judge
Kamal كمال

Perfection; completeness
Kamel كامل

Complete; perfect
Kandil قنديل

Lantern; oil lamp
Kashef كاشف

From kāshif, an Ottoman-era district governor title, notably in Nubia
Kassem قاسم

Divider; one who distributes
El-Kenzy الكنزي

Of the Kenuz Nubians of the Aswan region
Khalaf خلف

Successor; descendant
Khalil خليل

Close friend; companion
Khamis خميس

Born on Thursday
Khattab خطاب

Orator; public speaker
El-Khayat الخياط

The tailor
Khedr خضر

Green; after al-Khidr the saint
El-Kholy الخولي

Estate overseer; steward
Kirollos كيرلس

Cyril; lordly (Coptic)
Kotb قطب

Pole; spiritual axis (Sufi term)

L

Labib لبيب

Intelligent; wise
Lotfy لطفي

Of kindness; gentle

M

Magdy مجدي

Of glory; glorious
El-Mahdy المهدي

The rightly guided one
Mahfouz محفوظ

Protected; preserved by God
Mahmoud محمود

Praised; commendable
Makram مكرم

Honored; esteemed
Mamdouh ممدوح

Praised; commended
Mansour منصور

Victorious; aided by God
Mansy منسي

Forgotten; protective name against the evil eye
El-Masry المصري

The Egyptian
Matta متى

Matthew; gift of God (Coptic)
Medhat مدحت

Praise; commendation
Mekawy مكاوي

From Mecca
Mekky مكي

Meccan; from Mecca
El-Menoufy المنوفي

From Menoufia governorate
Metwally متولي

Custodian; guardian; devotee of a saint
Mikhail ميخائيل

Michael; who is like God (Coptic)
Mina مينا

After St. Menas; also King Menes
Moawad معوض

Compensated; recompensed
Mohamed محمد

Praised one; after the Prophet
Mohsen محسن

Benefactor; doer of good
Montaser منتصر

Victorious; triumphant
Morad مراد

Desired; wish; goal
Morcos مرقس

Mark, founder of the Coptic Church
Morsi مرسي

After the Alexandrian saint Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, 'from Murcia'
Mostafa مصطفى

The chosen one
Mounir منير

Radiant; luminous
Moussa موسى

Moses; probably Egyptian 'son', traditionally 'drawn from the water'
Mubarak مبارك

Blessed

N

Nabil نبيل

Noble; generous
El-Naggar النجار

The carpenter
Naguib نجيب

Noble; distinguished
Nakhla نخلة

Palm tree
Nashaat نشأت

Growth; upbringing
Nashed ناشد

Seeker; one who implores
Nasr نصر

Victory
Nasser ناصر

Helper; supporter; victorious
Nassim نسيم

Breeze
Nemr نمر

Tiger; leopard
El-Noubi النوبي

The Nubian
Nour نور

Light

O

Okasha عكاشة

After Ukkasha, a Companion of the Prophet
Omar عمر

Long-lived; flourishing
Osman عثمان

After the caliph Uthman; baby bustard

R

Raafat رأفت

Compassion; mercy
Rabie ربيع

Spring season
Radwan رضوان

Contentment; guardian of paradise
Ragab رجب

Born in the month of Rajab
Ramadan رمضان

Born in the month of Ramadan
Ramses رمسيس

Born of Ra; name of pharaohs
Rashad رشاد

Right guidance; maturity
Rashed راشد

Rightly guided; mature
Refaat رفعت

Elevation; high rank
Rizk رزق

Provision; sustenance from God
Rizkallah رزق الله

Provision of God
Rofail روفائيل

Raphael; God heals (Coptic)

S

Saad سعد

Good fortune; happiness
El-Sabbagh الصباغ

The dyer
Saber صابر

Patient; enduring
Sabet ثابت

Steady; firm
Sabry صبري

Of patience; patient
Sadat السادات

Masters; lords (plural of sayyid)
El-Saidy الصعيدي

From Upper Egypt (Said)
Sakr صقر

Falcon
Salah صلاح

Righteousness; goodness
Salama سلامة

Safety; well-being
Saleh صالح

Righteous; virtuous
Salem سالم

Safe; sound
Salib صليب

Cross (Coptic Christian)
Samaan سمعان

Simon; he has heard (Coptic)
Sami سامي

Exalted; elevated
Samir سمير

Evening companion; entertaining talker
Saroufim صاروفيم

Seraphim; fiery angels (Coptic)
Sawiris ساويرس

From Severus, a Coptic saint's name
El-Sayed السيد

The master; descendant of the Prophet
Seif سيف

Sword
Selim سليم

Sound; safe; unblemished
Serag سراج

Lamp; light
Shaaban شعبان

Born in the month of Sha'ban
El-Shaarawy الشعراوي

Family nisba; possibly from an ancestor or place
El-Shafei الشافعي

Follower of the Shafi'i school of law
Shafik شفيق

Compassionate; tender
Shaker شاكر

Thankful; grateful
Shalaby شلبي

Gentleman; refined (from Ottoman çelebi)
Shams شمس

Sun
Sharaf شرف

Honor; nobility
El-Sharkawy الشرقاوي

From Sharqia governorate
Shawky شوقي

Of longing; yearning
El-Shazly الشاذلي

Follower of the Shadhili Sufi order
Shehata شحاتة

Begged-for one; protective name against the evil eye
El-Shenawy الشناوي

Possibly from a Delta village or Sufi lineage
Shenouda شنودة

Son of God (Coptic Shenoute)
El-Sherbiny الشربيني

From Sherbin in Dakahlia
Sherif شريف

Noble; honorable
Shoeib شعيب

Shuayb, prophet identified with Jethro
Shoukry شكري

Of gratitude; thankful
Sidhom سيدهم

Their master; Coptic family name
El-Sisi السيسي

Possibly from sisi, a small pony
Sobhy صبحي

Of the morning
El-Sokkary السكري

Sugar seller; confectioner
Soliman سليمان

Solomon; man of peace
Sultan سلطان

Ruler; authority

T

Tadros تادرس

Theodore; gift of God (Coptic spelling)
Taha طه

Taha, title of a Quranic chapter
El-Tahawy الطحاوي

Bedouin family name of Sharqia
Tantawy طنطاوي

From Tanta in the Nile Delta
Tawadros تواضروس

Theodore; gift of God (Coptic)
Tawfik توفيق

Success granted by God
El-Tayeb الطيب

The good; the kind
Tolba طلبة

Students; religious scholars

W

Wagdy وجدي

Of passion; ecstasy
Wahba وهبة

Gift; present
Wassef واصف

Describer; one who portrays (common among Copts)
Wissa ويصا

From the Coptic saint's name Besa

Y

Yehia يحيى

John; he lives
Youhanna يوحنا

John (Coptic ecclesiastical form)
Youssef يوسف

Joseph; God increases

Z

Zaghloul زغلول

Young pigeon; squab
Zahran زهران

Blossoming; radiant
Zakaria زكريا

Zechariah; God remembers
Zaki زكي

Pure; intelligent
El-Zayat الزيات

The oil seller
Zayed زايد

Growing; abundant
Zein زين

Beauty; grace
Zidan زيدان

Growth; increase

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Results (6)

Ghali

غالي

Precious; dear
Wahba

وهبة

Gift; present
Eid

عيد

Feast; festival
Farag

فرج

Relief; deliverance from hardship
Seif

سيف

Sword
Khalil

خليل

Close friend; companion

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Given names that became family names

Because many Egyptian family names grew out of a father's or grandfather's given name, the names at the top of the list are given names first. Mohamed (محمد), Ahmed (أحمد), Mahmoud and Mostafa come from the name or titles of the Prophet and mean praised, most praised or chosen. Ibrahim, Moussa, Youssef and Ismail are the Arabic forms of Abraham, Moses, Joseph and Ishmael, while Hassan means good and Hussein is its affectionate diminutive.

The Abdel- names form one of the biggest groups in the list. Abdel means servant of, and it is always followed by one of the names of God: Abdel-Rahman (عبد الرحمن) is servant of the Merciful, Abdel-Aziz servant of the Mighty, Abdel-Fattah servant of the Opener and Abdel-Nasser servant of the Giver of Victory. Coptic Christians use a parallel form with Christian terms, as in Abdel-Messih, servant of the Messiah, and Abdel-Malak, servant of the angel.

Months, days and virtues in the list

Some names record when a child was born. Ramadan, Ragab and Shaaban are months of the Islamic calendar, Gomaa (جمعة) means Friday and Khamis Thursday, and Eid refers to a religious feast. Parents gave these as first names, and they later became family names in the usual way. The Egyptian spelling is worth noticing: Egyptians pronounce the Arabic letter jim as a hard g, so Gomaa, Ragab and Gamal would be Jumaa, Rajab and Jamal elsewhere.

A large group ends in -y and began as descriptive given names, popular in the twentieth century. Fathy is linked to victory and opening, Hamdy to praise, Helmy to patience and gentleness, Magdy to glory, Sabry to patience, Fawzy to triumph and Shawky to longing. These names sound very Egyptian to Arabic speakers from other countries, and they are a quick way to give a character a modern Egyptian family feel rather than a generic Arabic one.

Reading and searching Egyptian last names

Spelling in Latin letters is not standardised, so the same Arabic name can appear in several forms. Mohamed, Mohammed and Muhammad are one name, as are Mostafa and Mustafa, Youssef and Yousef, and Hegazy and Hegazi. Names that begin with El-, the Egyptian way of writing the article al-, may be written El Sayed, El-Sayed or Elsayed. Official documents usually follow whatever form was used on a person's first passport, so relatives can differ.

The letter bar on this page files El- names under the letter that follows, so El-Masry sits under M and El-Sayed under S, which keeps the article from swamping the E section. Typing only the main part of a name, such as masry, finds it with or without the article. The search also reads meanings, so typing servant, carpenter or month pulls together the Abdel- names, trade names and calendar names, with Arabic script shown for checking.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common Egyptian last names?

Mohamed, Ahmed, Mahmoud, Mostafa, Ibrahim, Hassan, Hussein and Ali are among the names most often used as family names in Egypt, together with El-Sayed and the Abdel- compounds. Because family names often come from given names, the most popular given names also dominate this list.

What does Abdel mean in Egyptian names?

Abdel is the Egyptian spelling of abd al, meaning servant of the. It is always joined to a name or attribute of God, such as Abdel-Rahman, servant of the Merciful. On its own Abdel is not a complete name, even though it is sometimes used as a short form in the West.

Why do Egyptians write Gamal instead of Jamal?

In Cairo and much of Egypt, the Arabic letter jim is pronounced as a hard g. Names are usually spelled in Latin letters the way they sound, so Egyptians write Gamal, Ragab and Hegazy where other Arabic speakers might write Jamal, Rajab and Hijazi.

How can I tell if a name is Coptic?

Coptic Christian families often carry saints' and biblical names such as Boutros (Peter), Girgis (George), Tadros (Theodore) and Mina, or names from the Coptic language like Shenouda and Bishay. Many Egyptian names are shared by Muslims and Christians alike, though, so a name alone rarely settles the question.