Asma, name meaning in Islam

Asma (أَسْمَاء) is an Arabic name for girls. It means names, high ranks.

Meaning and root

In Arabic, words are built from a root of usually three letters. Asma comes from the root س م و, and words from the same root share its core meaning. Similar names from the same family of words are listed below.

Is Asma in the Quran?

The word asma, names, is in 7:180: "to Allah belong the best names".

How to say and write Asma

Say it as-MAA. The capital letters show the stressed part. In English it is also spelled Asmaa and Asmaa'. In Arabic it is written with 5 letters, from right to left: أ alif with hamza + س sin + م mim + ا alif + ء hamza.

Choosing Asma

Asma is a name with a good meaning, which is what the Sunnah asks for. The Prophet ﷺ said: "The most beloved of your names to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman",³ and after these, any name with a good meaning is a sound choice. With the father's name it becomes Asma bint (and the father's name): see what bin, bint and abu mean.

Famous people named Asma

• Asma bint Abi Bakr, who carried food to the Prophet ﷺ in the cave during the hijrah

Names like Asma

• Aishah
• Sumayyah
• Hafsah

1. Quran 7:180, 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.