Haydar

Haydar is a masculine given name of Arabic origin, meaning "lion" and carrying connotations of courage and strength. In Islamic tradition, Haydar is an epithet associated with Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia imam and fourth caliph, which has helped popularize the name across cultures that revere his legacy.

The name has spread through Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and other language communities, and appears in many Muslim-majority regions. It is commonly transliterated in several ways, including Haydar, Haidar, Haider, and Hyder, with local pronunciation variants depending on language and script. Because of its association with bravery and with Ali, the form Haydar is widely used in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Central Asia, as well as among global diaspora communities.

As a given name, Haydar is used across generations and remains a relatively common choice in many Muslim-majority societies. It is less common as a surname, but Haydar can appear as a family name in some communities, often reflecting patronymic or ancestral origins.

In contemporary usage, Haydar appears in literature, media, and personal naming, where it can signal cultural or religious heritage as well as admired attributes such as courage. Variants and related forms include Haidar, Haider, Hyder, and other language-specific spellings that preserve the same root meaning.