juma

Juma is both a personal name and a term with religious and cultural associations, used primarily in East Africa and among Swahili-speaking Muslim communities. It is most commonly a masculine given name, and it can also appear as a surname in some families.

The name derives from the Arabic Jumu'ah, meaning Friday, in reference to the weekly Friday prayer in Islam. Spelling variants include Juma, Jumaa, Jummah, and Jumu'ah. In Swahili-speaking areas, the day of Friday is closely linked to the congregational prayer, and the name Juma has become a common given name in those communities.

Juma is widely used in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, as well as in Somalia and other regions with Muslim populations. The name may be chosen for religious reasons or because the bearer was believed to have a special association with Friday. While most commonly found as a given name, Juma can also be encountered as a surname in some families.

Related terms include Jumu'ah, the Islamic Friday prayer, and Ijumaa, a Swahili variant referring to Friday. The usage and pronunciation of Juma can vary across languages and cultures, but the underlying connection to Friday remains central in many contexts.