walad

Walad (ولد) is an Arabic word that typically means "boy" or "son." It is masculine singular and is used in Modern Standard Arabic as well as in most dialects. The feminine counterpart for a girl is bint (بنت). The standard plural is awlaad (أولاد), though some dialects use awlad. In some contexts, walad may also be used more generally to refer to a child, especially in informal speech.

Etymology and related forms: The term comes from the triliteral root W-L-D, which is associated with birth and offspring. Related words include walada (ولادة, birth), walid (والد, father) and walida (والدة, mother). These forms illustrate how kinship terms are built from a common root.

Usage: In Modern Standard Arabic, walad is used to denote a male child or son. In dialects across the Arab world, its basic meaning remains "boy" or "kid," and it often occurs in everyday expressions and names. The feminine given name for a girl remains better known as bint, while the common male given name related to this root is Walid.

Names and transliteration: Walid is a widely used given name in Arabic-speaking communities, meaning roughly "newborn" or "child." Walad itself is less common as a personal name but may appear in transliteration or historical contexts. In non-Arabic texts, walad is usually rendered as walad.