Alaa, name meaning in Islam

Alaa (آلَاء) is an Arabic name for girls, taken from a word in the Quran. It means blessings, favours. Ala (علاء) with an ayn is a different, mostly boys' name meaning nobility.

Meaning and root

In Arabic, words are built from a root of usually three letters. Alaa comes from the root أ ل ي, and words from the same root share its core meaning. Similar names from the same family of words are listed below.

Is Alaa in the Quran?

Surah Ar-Rahman asks again and again, "which of the favours (ala) of your Lord will you deny?" (55:13).

How to say and write Alaa

Say it aa-LAA. The capital letters show the stressed part. In English it is also spelled Ala and Alaa'. In Arabic it is written with 4 letters, from right to left: آ alif madda + ل lam + ا alif + ء hamza.

Choosing Alaa

Names taken from words in the Quran are a popular choice. Before choosing one, read the verse it comes from, as above, so you know the context the word is used in. With the father's name it becomes Alaa bint (and the father's name): see what bin, bint and abu mean.

Names like Alaa

• Nawal
• Hibah
• Rahma

1. Quran 55:13, translation by Sahih International.
2. Sahih Muslim 2315.
3. Sahih Muslim 2132.
4. Meanings follow classical Arabic usage and the standard name dictionaries; our teachers will check each one.

Our teachers will check the Arabic spelling and meaning on this page before launch.