Egypt has three name repertoires that coexist without blending: that of the pharaohs, that of the Coptic Christians, and that of today's Arab Egypt. And the first is enjoying a spectacular comeback, with parents giving their children names that are three thousand years old. Here are 40 Egyptian names and what each one signals.
Pharaonic names, back after three thousand years
This is the most striking phenomenon in contemporary Egyptian onomastics. Names that fell out of use after Antiquity are reappearing in civil registries, driven by an attachment to an identity that predates Arabization and Islamization.
| Name | Who bore it |
|---|---|
| Ramsès | Eleven pharaohs, including Ramsès II, who had the longest reign in Egypt |
| Séti | Father of Ramsès II |
| Néfertari | Great Royal Wife of Ramsès II |
| Néfertiti | Wife of Akhenaten, “the beautiful one has come” |
| Hatchepsout | Female pharaoh of the 15th century BCE |
| Isis | Goddess, one of the most popular ancient names today |
| Nout | Goddess of the sky |
| Ahmès | Pharaoh who founded the New Kingdom |
Isis is the most interesting case. A goddess's name that has been used without interruption since Antiquity in certain families, it is now given in Egypt as well as in Europe, often without the parents knowing how old it is.
Coptic names
The Copts make up the main Christian community in the Middle East. The word itself says it: “Copt” comes from the Greek Aigyptios, which simply means “Egyptian.” The Coptic language is the last stage of ancient Egyptian, the language of the hieroglyphs, written in the Greek alphabet.
Their names are instantly recognizable in Egypt:
- Mina: from Saint Menas, an Egyptian martyr of the 4th century. It is the Coptic name par excellence, and it is masculine.
- Kirollos: Cyril, in reference to the patriarchs of Alexandria.
- Bishoy: a monk of the Scetis desert, a major figure of monasticism.
- Abanoub: a child martyr, very popular.
- Girgis: George.
- Boutros: Peter.
- Tadros: Theodore.
- Demiana, Verena, Marina: much-venerated female saints, feminine names.
Mina is masculine in Egypt, which invariably surprises people in Europe, where it is seen as feminine. It is a constant source of misunderstandings in the Coptic diaspora.
Names of Arab Egypt
This is the majority repertoire, shared with the Arab world but with very Egyptian preferences.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Amr | Ancient Arabic name, very common in Egypt and rare elsewhere |
| Sherif | “Noble,” “honorable” |
| Hossam | “The sharp sword” |
| Ashraf | “The most noble” |
| Wael | “The one who returns,” “who takes refuge” |
| Mostafa | “The chosen one” |
| Tarek | “The one who knocks at the door,” the morning star |
| Heba | “The gift,” feminine |
| Dalia | The flower, feminine |
| Nesma | “The breeze,” feminine |
| Menna | “Grace,” feminine |
| Rania | “The one who gazes,” feminine |
Amr is the clearest Egyptian marker: very common along the banks of the Nile, it is little used in the rest of the Arab world.
What a name says in Egypt
In a country where religion appears on identity documents, a name works as an immediate social signal.
- Mina, Kirollos or Girgis unambiguously point to a Coptic family.
- Mohamed, Mostafa or Ahmed point to a Muslim family.
- Ramsès, Isis or Néfertari fall outside both categories, and that is precisely what explains their comeback: they refer to an Egyptian identity that predates both religions.
Choosing a pharaonic name in Egypt today is therefore not a simple aesthetic preference: it is a way of positioning oneself before the religious divide.
40 Egyptian names
Pharaonic
Ramsès, Séti, Ahmès, Isis, Néfertari, Néfertiti, Hatchepsout, Nout, Amon, Hor.
Coptic
Mina, Kirollos, Bishoy, Abanoub, Girgis, Boutros, Tadros, Demiana, Verena, Marina.
Arabic
Ahmed, Mohamed, Mahmoud, Mostafa, Karim, Tarek, Amr, Sherif, Hossam, Ashraf, Wael, Hany, Rania, Dalia, Nesma, Yasmine, Heba, Menna, Nourhan, Salma.
The ones that work best in France
- Isis: already used in France, short, and with three thousand years of history behind it.
- Karim: perfectly familiar, never misspelled.
- Dalia: soft, easy to spell.
- Salma: sonorous and simple.
- Mina: easy in France, as long as you accept that it will be read as feminine there.
Things to anticipate: Hatchepsout and Abanoub, superb but impossible to wear day to day outside Egypt, and Ramsès, whose historical weight slightly overwhelms the child who bears it.
For the Arabic repertoire as a whole, see our Arabic boy names. And since Coptic is written in the Greek alphabet, our Greek boy names shed light on some of these forms.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still give a pharaonic name in Egypt?
Yes, and it is even a growing trend. Ramsès, Isis, Néfertari or Séti are being given again by parents attached to an Egyptian identity that predates Arabization and today's religions.
Is Mina a masculine or feminine name?
Masculine in Egypt, where it refers to Saint Menas, a martyr of the 4th century and a central figure of Coptic Christianity. In Europe, it is seen as feminine, which creates misunderstandings in the diaspora.
What does the word Copt mean?
It comes from the Greek Aigyptios, which means “Egyptian.” The Coptic language is the last stage of ancient Egyptian, the language of the hieroglyphs, transcribed in the Greek alphabet.
Which name is typically Egyptian rather than Arabic in general?
Amr, very widespread in Egypt and little used elsewhere in the Arab world. On the Christian side, Mina, Kirollos and Abanoub are Egyptian markers with no equivalent.
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