Zainab — زَيْنَب

Zainab (زَيْنَب) is a beautiful Islamic girl name meaning "Fragrant flowering tree; adornment". Discover its Arabic origin, pronunciation, Quranic significance and translations in Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, Turkish, Bengali, Hindi, Malay and more.

Meaning of Zainab

Zainab is written زَيْنَب in Arabic script and is given to a girl. Its core meaning is "Fragrant flowering tree; adornment", a quality Muslim parents have chosen to bless their daughter with for generations.

Names in Islam are considered an amanah — a trust the parent gives the child for life. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught that on the Day of Judgement people will be called by their names and their fathers' names, which is why a Muslim name should carry a good, dignified meaning such as the one behind Zainab.

NameZainab
Arabic scriptزَيْنَب
MeaningFragrant flowering tree; adornment
GenderMuslim girl name
OriginArabic / Islamic
PronunciationZAI-NA-B
Starts withZ
Letters6

Zainab meaning in Urdu, Pashto, Farsi and other languages

Because Muslim families live across the Arab world, South Asia, Central Asia, Turkey and Southeast Asia, the name Zainab is written and understood slightly differently in each language. Here is the meaning of Zainab translated into every major Muslim language.

Arabicزينب، شجرة طيبة الرائحة
EnglishFragrant flowering tree; adornment
Urduخوشبودار درخت، زینت
Pashtoد خوشبویه ونې نوم
Dariدرخت خوشبو، زینت
Farsiدرخت خوشبو
Hindiसुगंधित वृक्ष
Bengaliসুগন্ধি বৃক্ষ
Teluguసుగంధ వృక్షం
Tamilமணம் கமழும் மரம்
Punjabiਖ਼ੁਸ਼ਬੂਦਾਰ ਰੁੱਖ
Sindhiخوشبودار وڻ
Balochiوش‌بویں درچک
TurkishHoş kokulu ağaç
MalayPokok berbau harum

Is Zainab a good Islamic name?

Yes. Zainab carries the positive meaning "Fragrant flowering tree; adornment", contains nothing that contradicts Islamic belief, and does not claim an attribute reserved for Allah alone. Scholars advise avoiding names with arrogant, hopeless or shirk-related meanings — Zainab falls into none of those categories.

It is customary to name a child on the seventh day after birth, together with the aqiqah, though naming earlier or later is permitted. Many parents pair Zainab with a second name to form a full Islamic name.

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Zainab mean?

Zainab (زَيْنَب) means "Fragrant flowering tree; adornment". It is an Islamic girl name of Arabic origin.

Is Zainab a boy or girl name?

Zainab is used as a Muslim girl name.

How do you pronounce Zainab?

Zainab is pronounced ZAI-NA-B, following the Arabic pronunciation of زَيْنَب.

What is the meaning of Zainab in Urdu?

In Urdu, Zainab means "خوشبودار درخت، زینت".

Is Zainab mentioned in the Quran?

Zainab is an authentic Arabic Islamic name meaning "Fragrant flowering tree; adornment". Whether the exact word appears in the Quran, its root and meaning are firmly within the Arabic and Islamic naming tradition.