The Ultimate Guide to Egyptian Names

If you are looking for an Egyptian baby name, there are so many sources of inspiration. When people think of Egypt, the first things that may come to mind are the pyramids, pharaohs, ancient mummies, and the beauty of cities like Cairo. There is much to explore when it comes to Egyptian inspiration when you delve into Egyptian mythology, royalty, and hieroglyphics. There is also a bit of a crossover with Arabic and Swahili names, so these are also categories of names to consider.

More: 101 Greek Mythology Names for Girls

Egyptian First Names

When choosing an Egyptian first name, you can look to the names of gods and goddesses, or ancient pharaohs. You can also take derivatives of the ancient and more classic names to put a modern spin on them. In addition, modern Egyptian names are often influenced by Arabic and Islamic culture. Exploring alternative spellings is a way that you can make more traditional first names more unique.

Egyptian Family Names and Surnames

When considering Egyptian naming traditions and the use of last names or family names, know that a new baby is often given a personal or first name but this name is typically followed by the names of their father and grandfather. The use of a family name or last name is now much more common than it has been in the past. Usually, the last name will begin with El. Some of these last names actually originate from the geographic location that the family came from many years ago.

Also, note that it is typically the paternal line that is passed down in names, and a name can reflect a family’s status from the past as well. Interestingly, women do not always change their last name when they get married even with the above custom.

Egyptian Boy Names

1. Akenhaten - This name means devoted to Aten.
2. Amenhotep - This was the name of an ancient pharaoh in the Eighteenth Dynasty.
3. Ammon - This name references the chief deity of ancient Egypt, Amon.
4. Babu - A Hindu name meaning father.
5. Bes - This name means one that brings joy.
6. Femi - This name means love.
7. Hager - It means flight or stranger.
8. Horus - Horus belongs to the great five names of an Egyptian pharaoh. It is also the oldest known and used crest of ancient Egyptian rulers.
9. Imhotep - The only Egyptian besides Amenhotep to be fully deified, he became the god of wisdom and medicine.
10. Jabari - A Swahili name meaning brave.
11. Menes - This name references an honorific which meant he who endures.
12. Osiris - It means with strong eyesight.
13. Ra - This popular name means the sun.
14. Ramesses or Rameses - It means the sun god.
15. Sa’d - This means someone with good fortune.
16. Sethos - This name references an Egyptian prince.
17. Shakir - This name means grateful.
18. Thutmose - It means born of the god Thoth.
19. Zahur - This name means flower.
20. Zosar - It means royalty and abundance.

Egyptian Girl Names

21. Akila - This name means intelligent.
22. Anat - A name of Hebrew origin meaning to sing.
23. Anipe - This means daughter of the Nile river.
24. Bastet - A name referencing the Egyptian goddess of cats, home, and women’s secrets.
25. Cleopatra - A name referencing the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.
26. Giza - A girl’s name meaning pledge.
27. Hatshepsput - A name referencing the Fifth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth Century of Egypt.
28. Isis - This name references the ancient goddess of the moon, fertility, healing, and magic.
29. Keket - This name references the goddess of darkness.
30. Layla - It means the girl who was born at night.
31. Maat - This name references the goddess of justice and order.
32. Mut - This name means mythical mother.
33. Nashwa - It means happiness.
34. Nefertiti - This name means the perfect one has arrived.
35. Neith - This name means the divine mother.
36. Nubia - A name that means gold.
37. Ramla - This name means the one who predicts the future.
38. Sanura - This name means kitten.
39. Sharifa - It means respected.
40. Sslama - It means peaceful.

Gender Neutral Egyptian Names

41. Ata - This means twin which works well for a unisex name.
42. Aten - It means sun disk.
43. Hu - This name references the god of nature.
44. Menefer - This name means established and beautiful.
45. Min - A name that references the god of fertility.
46. Nile - This name means from the Nile which references the river.
47. Pili - It means second born.
48. Ptah - This name means God worshipped in Memphis.
49. Shu - This name references the god of air.
50. Ta-Nehisi - This name references Nubia or the land of the Black.
51. Tau - It means lion.
52. Thoth - This name means God of the moon.
53. Wallis - It means newly born.
54. Zaim - A Swahili name, it means flowering.
55. Zane - A Swahili name that means well-born.

Looking for information about names and origin? Check out our First Names by Country of Origin tool.

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