Thani

Thani is a given name and surname of Arab origin. It is derived from the Arabic word thāni, meaning “second,” and is used to distinguish generations or to indicate the second in a sequence. In Arabic naming practice, bin means “son of,” so a person can be identified as Thani bin [father’s name], while the family name Al-Thani signals belonging to the Thani clan.

The most prominent association with Thani is the Al Thani dynasty, the ruling family of Qatar. The dynasty takes its name from Thani bin Mohammed Al Thani, who consolidated control of Qatar in the 19th century. Since then, the Al Thani family has ruled Qatar, with notable rulers including Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (emir from 1995 to 2013) and his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who has been emir since 2013.

In contemporary usage, Thani appears as both a given name and a surname among people in Qatar and the wider Arab world. It is common in formal contexts to refer to individuals as Thani bin [father’s name] or simply as Al-Thani when referring to members of the ruling family or other people bearing the surname.

Spelling and transliteration vary, reflecting different systems for rendering Arabic into Latin script. Variants such as Thāni or Thaine may be encountered, and the surname is often written as Al-Thani or Al Thani in English.