badawi

Badawi, also transliterated as Badawy, Bedawi, or Bedawy, is an Arabic surname and, less commonly, a given name. It derives from the Arabic term badawi (بدوي), meaning Bedouin or nomadic desert dweller, and functions as a nisba indicating origin or affiliation with Bedouin communities.

Geographically, the surname is found throughout the Arab world and in diaspora communities around the world. It is particularly common in Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gulf states, and North and East Africa, with continued use among émigré populations in North America and Europe.

In modern usage, Badawi is primarily a family name rather than a descriptor of current lifestyle. Spelling and pronunciation vary due to transliteration from Arabic; common variants include Badawi, Badawy, Bedawi, and Bedawy.

There are notable individuals with the surname across fields such as politics, academia, and the arts, reflecting its broad distribution in Arabic-speaking regions.

See also: Bedouin, Arabic-language surnames.