Arabic Names and the Bedouin Naming of Arabian Horses
By Bachir Bserani
What is in a name? Honor, Strength, Courage, and Pride. For centuries the nomadic people of the
deserts of Arabia and the Middle East, the Bedouin, have honored their Arabian foals with names of
distinction. Thoughtful care and consideration is always given when naming each precious foal.
Traditionally, the desert Bedouins named their foals according to their color, markings,
temperament, courage, and personality, as well as other similar traits. The Bedouin people loved and
embraced the horse very much.
Since I migrated to America from Syria many years ago, I have undoubtedly seen the strong passion
and love that people have here, as well, for these majestic and adored creatures. There is a strong
sense of pride when people show off their beloved Arabian horses. It is this pride and love that has
led me to reveal my thoughts and observations regarding the true naming of the Arabian horse in my
book "Authentic Arabian Horse Names: A Collection of Arabic Names with Translations".
If we are to honor the Arabian horses of today in the same way they have been honored for centuries
past, please consider giving your horse a true Arabic name. And whether you decide to purchase my
book of Arabic Names, or simply try to find a name through your own research, please consider the
following advice when selecting a name for your Arabian horse, Saluki, Falcon, or any other exotic
pet you may own.
Ten Things You Should Never Do When Choosing Arabic Names
1. Never name your foal before its birth. In the desert for the Bedouins it is considered bad
luck, because the characters, markings, colors, etc., are favorable to the name that you
choose.
2. Never give a person's name to a foal (it would be impolite). For example, Bachir (my name)
means "One Who Brings Good News." If this name is desirable and you ask a person who is
familiar with Arabic, he/she will suggest the following name appropriate for your foal:
MOUBASHER pronounced MOO-BAH-SHER, or
AL BACHIR pronounced AHL-BAH-SHEER
Both maintain the meaning of "One Who Brings Good News."
3. Never put two names together when naming your foal, unless you ask the advice of an
Arabic speaking scholar. For example, these names when used with another word that starts
with a vowel, will change slightly:
NEGMAH — STAR
NEGMAT AL HAYAT — THE STAR OF LIFE
AROUSSAH — BRIDE
AROUSSAT AL SAHRAH — THE DESERT BRIDE
4. Never gather letters from the Sire's name and Dam's name and try to form a name that could
have no meaning, or be comical or embarrassing. This practice is widely used in the United
States and abroad, and for the sake of your Arabian horses should be completely abandoned.
5. Never choose a name for a foal that was given in the past to a famous stallion or mare, even
if that stallion or mare has passed away.
6. Never give a foal a combination of an Arabic and Romantic (e.g., English, Spanish) language
name, for example:
ECHO AL SAHRAH — THE DESERT ECHO
7. Never assume that the name that you have chosen cannot be duplicated. The Arabic
language/dialect is very rich and varies from country to country, for example:
HILAL — MOON (literary) pronounced HEE-LAHL
KAMAR — MOON (dialect) pronounced KAH-MAHR
AJOUZ — OLD (literary) pronounced AH-JOOZ
KEITYARAH — OLD (dialect) pronounced KEY-TEE-YAH-RAH
8. Never give a colt a filly's name or vice versa. Always check with a knowledgeable person or
source before finalizing your choice.
9. Never give your foal a name with lettering that is difficult to pronounce, such as MESAOUD
or MASSOOD. (If not pronounced correctly the meaning will be changed.)
In my book Authentic Arabian Horse Names most of the names chosen are easy to
pronounce for a non-Arabic speaking person.
10. Never hesitate to ask help from Arabic scholars, but make sure they also have the knowledge
of your own language so they can understand the meaning of what you are trying to say
when naming your foal.
Please visit the official website http://www.al-moussami.com/ to find out more about the book
"Authentic Arabian Horse Names" by Bachir Bserani and Kellie Kolodziejczyk.
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