Iman

Iman is an Arabic word name meaning faith. In Islamic contexts it refers to religious belief, giving the name a direct spiritual significance rather than a meaning reconstructed from several older name elements. It is used for boys and girls, with the same central meaning in either case.

The Somali-born model Iman made the name particularly recognizable internationally. Her background illustrates the difference between a name’s language of origin and the many countries in which it is used: Iman is Arabic in origin and is also well established beyond Arabic-speaking communities. Eman and Imaan are alternative Latin-alphabet spellings that preserve the same name and its faith connection.