nefer

Nefer is a term from the ancient Egyptian language, transliterated as nfr, meaning “beautiful,” “good,” or “perfect.” It is a common element in personal names and royal epithets, and in hieroglyphic writing it appears as a word meaning beauty, sometimes used within longer theophoric names to convey a positive attribute.

In antiquity, nefer appears in numerous names across dynasties, especially among royalty. The best-known examples are Nefertiti, the Great Royal Wife of Akhenaten, whose name is usually rendered as “The Beautiful One Has Come.” Another well-known bearer is Nefertari, the principal wife of Ramesses II, commonly translated as “The Beautiful Companion.” The use of nefer in such names reflects a broader practice of encoding favorable qualities in royal titulary and personal names.

In modern times, Nefer is used as a given name or as part of personal names among people of Egyptian heritage and in diaspora communities. Variants and spellings arise from transliteration choices, including Nefer, Nefertiti, and Nefertari. The term remains a common etymological element in the study of ancient Egyptian onomastics.