Fatima

Fatima is a feminine given name of Arabic origin. It derives from Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, and is widely used in Muslim communities and in many other cultures. The spelling Fatima is common in English-language texts; variants include Fatimah and Fatime.

In geography, Fatima refers to a town in central Portugal, part of the municipality of Ourém in the district of Santarém. Since 1917 it has been a major Catholic pilgrimage site after reported Marian apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children—Lúcia Santos and siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto. The events led to the construction of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, including the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima and the Chapel of the Apparitions, and attract millions of pilgrims each year.

In religious contexts, Fatimah is a central figure in Islam as the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and wife of Ali, highly revered in both Sunni and especially Shia traditions. In Catholicism, Our Lady of Fatima refers to the reported apparitions and the associated messages emphasizing prayer, repentance, and devotion to the Rosary. The name Fatima thus appears in literature, art, and popular culture across regions and faiths.

Notable bearers include Fatima Jinnah, Pakistani physician and activist; Fatima Bhutto, Pakistani writer; and Fatima al-Fihri, a 9th-century founder of the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco. The name remains common in many countries and languages.