Zainab

Zainab, also spelled Zaynab or Zainab, is a female given name of Arabic origin. The exact etymology and meaning are not definitively established, but the name is widely used across Arabic-speaking and Muslim communities and has several common transliterations.

Historically, Zainab bint Jahsh was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. Zainab bint Ali, the daughter of Ali and Fatimah, is a prominent figure in early Islamic history and is especially noted for her role in the aftermath of the Battle of Karbala. In modern times, Zaynab al-Ghazali (1917–2005) was an Egyptian Islamist activist and author who became a notable public figure in the Islamic movement.

Today the name is common in the Arab world, South Asia, and Africa, and is used by diaspora communities worldwide. Spelling variants include Zaynab and Zainab, among others, reflecting differences in transliteration from Arabic.