Isra

Isra is an Arabic name meaning “night journey,” connected with a verb for traveling by night. Its particular religious significance comes from the Isra in Islamic tradition, the Prophet Muhammad’s miraculous journey. That association gives the name a more specific story than a general image of darkness or the night sky.

Israa and Esraa are alternative Latin-letter spellings of the Arabic name, while Esra is a related Turkish form. The extra final a in Israa helps represent a sound distinction that English spelling does not capture neatly. Isra is a complete name in its own right, with a cultural history separate from names that merely begin with the letters Isr.