Zayani

Zayani is an Arabic surname and tribal name. It is commonly written as Al-Zayani in transliteration. The name is associated with a Gulf Arab tribal lineage whose historical heartlands include Bahrain and parts of the eastern Arabian Peninsula. Over time, members of the Zayani lineage migrated throughout the Gulf, and today people bearing the name are found in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and other Gulf states as well as in diaspora communities. In addition to its use as a surname, Zayani denotes a tribal group that has participated in the historical and political life of the Gulf region.

In modern public life, the name is associated with several individuals, including Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, a Bahraini politician who has served as Foreign Minister since 2006. The surname appears in various professional arenas, including business, academia, and sports. Variants of the name include Al-Zayani and Zayani, reflecting differences in transliteration from Arabic.