Ziad

Ziad is a masculine given name of Arabic origin. It derives from the Arabic root z-y-d, meaning to increase or to add, and it commonly conveys the sense of growth or abundance. The name has been used across the Arabic-speaking world and in Muslim communities worldwide, often transliterated as Ziad, Ziyad, or Zyad, with other spellings depending on language and dialect.

In history, a related form, Ziyad (or Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan), appears in early Islamic sources; Ziyad ibn Abihi (died 673) was a prominent Umayyad governor whose name helped popularize the form in classical Arabic. In modern times, the name remains common in Lebanon, Syria, and other Arab countries.

Notable people with the given name Ziad include Ziad Rahbani (born 1956), a Lebanese composer, musician, and playwright, and Ziad Doueiri (born 1963), a Lebanese film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer known for works such as The Insult. The name is also used by individuals in the broader Middle East and in diaspora communities.

See also Ziyad, a variant spelling and related names.