The Best Guide to Creating Fascinating Egyptian Names

Egypt is one of the oldest existing civilizations in the world. They are one of the advanced civilizations of the Bronze Age, sharing with the world amazing things such as pyramids, mathematics, calendar, and hieroglyphic writing. There is so much to know about Ancient Egypt, but in this article, we will focus more on fascinating things about Egyptian Names. Get to know some of the popular Egyptian first names together with their meanings. Not only that, we’ve compiled some of the best Egyptian boy names, Egyptian gods and goddesses’ names, and many more!

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ancient egyptian female names

Quick History of Egyptian Names

Egyptian Civilization started to exist around 3150 BC after the separated ruling kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt started to unify under a single rule of a king called Pharaoh. The ruling year of the Pharaoh lasted thousands of years until they were conquered by the foreign Achaemenid Empire in 600 BC, and eventually by the Macedonian Empire under Alexander the Great in 332 BC.

The first Egyptians descended from early settlers from the Middle East and Mesopotamia, making their language similar to Akkadian, Hebrew, and Arabic. During Egypt’s golden years as a powerful ruling country, Egyptians developed a unique language and way of writing. Ancient Egyptian’s form of writing is through Hieroglyphic scripts, often written on papyrus and walls. They do not yet have the concept of writing characters and letters to denote names, pronunciations, and places, but rather use actual images and drawings. The earliest hieroglyphic texts were estimated to be around 3200 to 2600 BCE and consisted of Egyptian names, labels, and stories, but with no definite grammar. It was between 2600 to 2100 BCE when Egyptians started to adopt a systematic way of writing called Old Egyptian, to which Hieroglyphics started to have recognizable grammar. Old Egyptian is often written in royal burial chambers inside pyramids (also known as Pyramid Texts). These texts detail the life and death of the royal person buried in the tomb. 

Egyptian Naming Convention

Names of Egyptians, whether for royal blood or commoner, are carefully chosen by parents, to which most are adjectives. For example, the name Neferet simply means “beautiful woman”, and Atsu means “twin”. Many names in Ancient Egypt are gender-neutral, and they only add prefixes to denote if the name is for a man or a woman. There is also the possibility that Egyptians use nicknames to shorten lengthy spelled names. 

Additionally, Egyptians believe in keeping honored names within the family. Therefore, they provide themselves with some personal “self-name” that is considered beautiful for them. This gives them at least two names, with the first name being the formal given name from parents, and the second the self-given name.

Ancient Egyptians do not use last names, both for the commoners and nobles. It was only during the Roman occupation of  Egypt that family names started to become more common. In modern-day Egypt, most last names came from Arabic surnames mainly due to Islam’s influence. Egypt became an Islamic country during the invasion of the Islamic caliphate in the 7th century, effectively removing Christian Byzantium’s influence from the entire Egyptian region.

egyptian names

Top 5 Egyptian Goddess Names

Ancient Egyptians have many gods and goddesses in their culture. They try to name most of them, from simple sky and earth, up to unusual things such as drunkenness and milk. Below are the top 5 most popular Egyptian goddess names we’re sure you’ve heard before.

Isis the Goddess of Motherhood

Isis is also known as the “Great Mother” of Egypt, also associated with healing and magic. Being the mother of the land, she is a very important figure in Egyptians’ faith and religious belief. The name Isis has its Greek origin, and the original name from the Egyptian language is Aset. The word Aset directly translates as “Queen of the Throne”, which is why in all hieroglyphics she is depicted wearing a crown-like headdress shaped like a throne. 

Nut the Goddess of the Sky and Heavens

The Egyptian name Nut directly means “sky” in the Ancient Egyptian language. She is also considered the goddess of stars, cosmos, and astronomy. She is also depicted as a huge cow in some hieroglyphics, shaping and covering the sky and heavens with her enormous cow-formed body. Goddess Nut is also believed to be the barrier that separates chaos and the cosmos in the world, and the friend and protector of the dead.

Bastet the Goddess of Protection and Good Health

There are many representations for Bastet aside from protection and good health. Egyptian believes that Bastet is also the goddess of the home, women’s secrets, cats, and fertility. She is often depicted as a humanoid with a cat face or simply a cat. Bastet was first described as a ferocious lioness warrior goddess of the sun. She is believed to be the guide of the dead, and the protector of home and family. Because of this belief, Bastet is one of the most popular deities, with her image and statues commonly seen in an Egyptian home.

The name Bastet was originally interpreted as “Ubaste”, but scholars debate on the actual pronunciation of the words, which lead to a universal agreement to use the name Bastet instead.

Neith the Goddess of Arrows

Goddess Neith is the primary patroness of the city of Sais, found in the Nile Delta. Neith is one of the oldest deities in the Egyptian religion, believed to be worshipped even before the founding of Egyptian dynasties. Several Egyptian queens were named after Neith between 2925 to 2775 BCE. She is often depicted in scripts and hieroglyphics as a woman wearing a red crown with a bow and arrow. 

Sekhmet the Goddess of War

The Egyptian god name “Sekhmet” translates as “She who is powerful”. She is considered the goddess of plague, chaos, and war. According to Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet was designated by god Ra as a weapon to destroy humans for disobedience against his will, and for not living according to the principles of Ma’at. Sekhmet is described as a woman with a lion head and a sun disk. She is considered the other identity or persona of the Egyptian goddess Bastet. Sekhmet is believed to transform into a cat goddess (Bastet) only if she is in her calm state. 

Top 5 Egyptian God Names

Egyptian gods are the counterparts of the Egyptian goddesses in Egyptian religion and mythology. The following are five of the most common Egyptian gods to exist.

Amun the God of Air

Amun is the 8th “primordial” Egyptian deity. Egyptians first associate Amun with creation, and they once believed that Amun is the creator of everything and the universe. The name Amun translates as “hidden” or “invisible” in the Ancient Egyptian language. In Egyptian mythology, the god of air Amun, and the godo f sun Ra, merged into a single deity called Amun-Ra, the father and protector of all Pharaohs. 

Ra the God of the Sun

The Egyptian god Ra is considered the deity of the sun. He is portrayed in scripts as a human with a falcon head, sharing similar characteristics with the god of the sky, Horus. Ra is often associated with the god Atum, with few written scriptures detailing both Atum and Ra as the sun god and creator of life. It is said that in the daytime he becomes Ra, and at sunset he becomes Atum. Therefore, Ra is the morning sun god, while Atum is the evening sun god.

Osiris the Godo f Justice

Osiris is also a “primordial” deity of the Egyptians. He is considered also the godo f fertility, agriculture, and the afterlife. He is the ruler of the Underworld, receiving the souls of the dead guided by Bastet. Osiris is often depicted with green-colored skin, Pharaoh’s beard, and mummy-wrapped legs and lower body. He is also drawn wearing a unique atef crown and holding a crook and flail in both hands. The name Osiris has its Greek origin, and the original Egyptian god’s name is Usir.

Horus the God of War and Sky

Horus is the male equivalent of the sky goddess Nut, although they do not have a shared relationship when it comes to Egyptian mythology. Horus is the son of the Egyptian god Osiris and the goddess Isis. He is considered the god of war and the sky. Horus is more popular with Horus and Seth Myth, where Seth battled Horus for the throne of Ra. The name Horus is the Greek equivalent of the original Egyptian god name Horos.

Sobek the God of the Nile

Sobek is most likely known as the “Crocodile God”, and the lord of wetlands and marshes. He is depicted as a human with a crocodile face, and it is believed that the water of the Nile River is his sweat. The name Sobek is believed to translate as “to impregnate” or “to unite”, which is often associated with his animalistic nature.  Some of the discovered epithets portray Sobek as someone who loves robbery and someone who eats his mate.

Top 5 Egyptian Boy Name Suggestions

Are you looking for some on-point Egyptian names for boys? Fret not as we compiled 5 of the top popular Egyptian boy names in this section—and their meaning! Check them out below. 

Egyptian Boy Name
Meaning

Ahmed

Ahmed is one of the popular Egyptian names for boys today. It has its Arabic origins which means “praised”.

Ramses

The name Ramses is one of the oldest Egyptian names existing today. It is mentioned both in the Egyptian scripts and in Hebrew’s Old Testament Bible. This name is stemmed from the base name Ra and is translated as “begotten by Ra”. 

Omar

This name has influences in both Hebrew and Arabic which means “flourishing” or “eloquent”. It is one of the most commonly used first names among Muslim countries including Egypt today. 

Darius

The name Darius is a shared Mesopotamian name that originates in Persia. It means “possessing goodness” in English. It is also a commonly used first name today in Egypt.

Gamal

Gamal also has Arabic influences. It means “beauty” when translated into English. Jamal is the other variation of this name.

 

Top 5 Egyptian Girl Name Ideas

Egyptian girl names are one of the beautiful names that you may consider for your baby or fictional character. They have unique pronunciations and rich meanings to it. An Egyptian female name greatly represents beauty and elegance, with a touch of strong personality and grit. Below are our top 5 picks of great Egyptian name ideas you can use. 

Egyptian Girl Name
Meaning

Aziza

Aziza draws its origin from ancient Hebrew and Arabic. It is a common name used mostly in North Africa including Egypt. The name Aziza means “beloved” or “previous” in the English language.

Dalila

Meaning “delicate” or “fragile”. This female Egyptian name roots its base form from the Arabic term dalil which means “to guide” or “to direct”. Its meaning was transformed in time.

Jamila

Jamila is one of the common names around the world, being used even by western countries. This name is derived from the Arabic word Jamal, which means “beautiful”. In Egypt, this name is spelled as “Gameel”, with a variation of Gameela. 

Monifa

This name is uncommon and used only by a few Egyptians. However, it is now finding its way as a choice by modern-day parents due to this same uniqueness and beautiful meaning. Monifa means “lucky” when translated into English.

Rashida

Meaning “righteous” or “guided”. This name is perfect for young girls who are seen with the qualities of a great leader, beaming with charisma and leadership. 

 

Top 5 Egyptian Names for Cats

It is the Egyptians who first domesticated wild cats during the Bronze Age. For the Egyptians, cats are considered sacred and protected by the goddess of war Sekhmet (Bastet). In this section, we compiled our top 5 picks of the most awesome Egyptian cat names. Below are the examples:

Egyptian Cat Name
Meaning

Menes

Menes is an Egyptian name borrowed from one of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Menes is the first King of Ancient Egypt and the founder of the Egyptian dynasty.

Cairo

Cairo is the capital city of Egypt and is one of the popular name picks for naming a cat, especially males. The name not only represents a good Egyptian name but is also very cat-like due to its spelling and pronunciation. 

Azizi

The name Azizi is ideal as an Egyptian name for a girl or cat. This name means “precious” or “esteemed” when translated.

Sahara

The Sahara desert is a good representation of an Egyptian name. In context, eastern Sahara desert is within the Egyptian border, making Egypt a memorable country when it comes to deserts.

Neferti

This name is a shortened name for Nefertiti. It gives an adorable sound when pronounced, making it an ideal Egyptian cat name to consider. The name Nefertiti translates as “the beautiful one has come”. 

Using Egyptian Name Generators

Are you tired of looking for other inspirations for Egyptian names? When you try to browse for Egyptian names over the internet, there is a high chance that the names you will get are repeated, common, or simply exist in Egyptian myths and lore. But if you are looking for more unique names that are still unused, the easiest way to do it is by using an Egyptian Name Generator.

A Name Generator generates names for your babies, pet cat, or anything that can be named. These name generators work by providing suggested names depending on a provided category by the user. Most Name Generators are unique, with some being more sophisticated and AI-powered. The only limitation it has is it can only provide randomly-generated names with a maximum of around 10 names at a time depending on the website. 

How to Use an Egyptian Name Generator

Using an Egyptian Name Generator is very simple. You can follow these three easy steps when you use one:

  • Choose the Category: Pick the Egyptian Name as a category and search for Egyptian Name Generators online. Make sure that you are set and looking for Egyptian names because name generators are intentionally designed for a specific category.
  • Select a Gender: While not all Egyptian Name Generators have gender selectors, it is still a good way to pick a website that includes gender selection in it. By utilizing the gender option, you can tailor more specifically the Egyptian name you are trying to find. 

Click the “Generate” Button: By clicking the “generate” button, the Egyptian Name generator will start to generate a list of suggested names. You may click the “Generate” button multiple times to change the suggested names displayed on your screen. Keep in mind that the names are generated randomly, and there may be instances of name repetition. Additionally, some Name Generator websites may only suggest one name at a time.

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Hello, folks! I am James Gillen a.k.a. the Master of Fantasy, I am a smuggler · From The Santa Claus & His Old Lady Commune, also I am one of the writers here, on generator1.net. I am an RPG player, reviewer and dreamer in the spirit. “I bring you greetings, reviewer of games! I am Bodor son of Todor, breaker of chains, slayer of dragons!" I hope you find my posts informative enough to help you with you name selection.