Hafsa

Hafsa is an Arabic name traditionally interpreted as “young lioness” or “lion cub.” Explanations of its meaning differ: some name references instead give “gathering,” so that gloss should not be combined with the animal image into one literal phrase. The name’s historical identity is clearer than the differences between those English summaries.

Hafsa bint Umar, a daughter of the second caliph Umar and a wife of the Prophet Muhammad, is an important bearer in Islamic history. Hafsah is another transcription of the same Arabic name; its final h reflects a spelling convention rather than making it a different person’s name. Families may value that religious connection independently of which English meaning they emphasize.