Names

Serbian and Macedonian diminutive of Aleksandar.

Alternate transcription of Arabic أبو الفضل (see Abu al-Fadl).

Combination of Abu and Bakr. Abu Bakr was a companion and father-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the first caliph of the Muslim world. His name was in fact a kunya (a nickname) formed using Abu; his real name was Abd Allah. Shia Muslims hold a more negative view of Abu Bakr, hence this name is more widely used among Sunnis.

Form of Abu Bakr used in Nigeria.

Combination of Abu and Fadl. This was another name for Abbas, the son of the fourth caliph Ali.

Means “father of” in Arabic. This is commonly used as an element in a kunya, which is a type of Arabic nickname. The element is combined with the name of one of the bearer’s children (usually the eldest son). In some cases the kunya is figurative, not referring to an actual child, as in the case of the Muslim caliph Abu Bakr.

From the Hebrew name אַבְשָׁלוֹם (‘Avshalom) meaning “my father is peace”, derived from אָב (‘av) meaning “father” and שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning “peace”. In the Old Testament he is a son of King David. He avenged his sister Tamar by arranging the murder of her rapist, their half-brother Amnon. He later led a revolt against his father. While fleeing on the back of a mule he got his head caught in a tree and was killed by Joab.

Spanish and Catalan form of April.

Russian diminutive of Abraham.

Means “virtuous” in Arabic.