First Adhān

Asmāʾ

أسماء

Say it as-MAA

Its origin is disputed

At a glance

Gender
Girl
Arabic root
ʾ-s-m
Origin
Arabic
Found in
The Companions
Also spelled
Asma, Asmaa, Esma

Meaning & source

Its origin is disputed. Ibn Barrī, quoted in Lisān, gives three views: a word whose hamzah is original, a form of wasmāʾ from wasāmah (beauty), or the plural of ism, “name”.

  • قَالَ ابْنُ بَرِّيٍّ: وأَما أَسماءُ اسْمُ امرأَة فمختلَف فِيهَا، فَمِنْهُمْ مَن يَجْعَلُهَا فَعلاء وَالْهَمْزَةُ فِيهَا أَصْل، وَمِنْهُمْ مَن يجعلُها بَدلًا مِنْ وَاوٍ وأَصْلُها عِنْدَهُمْ وَسْماء، وَمِنْهُمْ مَن يَجْعَلُ هَمْزَتَهَا قَطْعًا زَائِدَةً وَيَجْعَلُهَا جمعَ اسْمٍ سُمِّيَتْ بِهِ المرأَة، قَالَ: وَيُقَوِّي هَذَا الْوَجْهَ قَوْلُهُمْ فِي تَصْغِيرِهَا سُمَيَّة، وَلَوْ كَانَتِ الْهَمْزَةُ فِيهَا أَصْلًا لَمْ تحذَف.

    Ibn Manẓūr, Lisān al-ʿArab, root ʾ-s-m (vol. 12, p. 18)

Who carried this name

Related names