Omar (name)

Last updated
Omar
20131203 Istanbul 118.jpg
Arabic calligraphy depicting the name of Omar (Rashidun caliph), who was the most famous bearer of the most widespread form (the Arabic form) of this name.
Pronunciation
  • /ˈoʊmɑːr/
  • /ˈoʊmər/
  • Arabic: [ˈʕomar]
GenderMale
Origin
Word/name Semitic and Germanic
Meaning Arabic name: 'flourishing, long-lived'
Hebrew name: 'eloquent, gifted speaker'
Germanic name: 'wealthy, famous'
Region of origin West Asia (Semitic) and North Europe (Germanic)

Omar is the most common English rendition of a series of names, predominantly masculine given names, originating in a variety of languages. The name may have several different spellings in English, with variations based on the original language that it is drawn from, regional/cultural adaptations, and personal choice.

Contents

Origins

Semitic languages

As an Arabic name, Omar/Umar (Arabic : عمر, lit. 'flourishing' or 'long-lived') is widespread among Arabs and Muslims. In this context, it is chiefly a reference to Umar ibn al-Khattab (r. 634–644), who was one of Muhammad's companions and the second Rashidun caliph, as well as the driving force behind the success of some of the early Muslim conquests.

As a Hebrew name, Omer (Hebrew : אוֹמָר, lit. 'eloquent' or 'gifted speaker') is widespread among Jews. In this context, it is chiefly a reference to the biblical Omer, who is described as a grandson of Isaac, whose son Jacob is hailed as the forefather of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Additionally, the omer (עומר, lit. 'sheaf' or 'bundle of grain') was an Israelite unit of measurement for grains and other dry commodities, giving way to Jewish rituals like Sefirat HaOmer and the omer offering.

Germanic languages

In the Germanic languages, the name Ómar is popular as an Icelandic name and also as a Nordic name, albeit to a much lesser extent with the latter. [1] In this context, the name can be a variant of Ottomar or Othmar, which are derived from a Germanic name consisting of elements *aud (lit. 'wealthy') and *mari (lit. 'famous').[ citation needed ]

Given name

Monarchs named Omar or Umar

Caliphs

  • Umar ibn al-Khattab or Umar I (r. 634–644), the second Rashidun caliph of Islam; father of the prophet Muhammad's wife Hafsa bint Umar
  • Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, or Umar II (r. 717–720), Umayyad caliph

Other monarchs

Omar

Middle name

Fictional characters

Omer

Ómar

Ömer

Oumar

Umar

Umaru

Other

Surname

Omar

Omaar

Omer, Ömer

Oumar / Oumarou

Umar

Omarova

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ómar". Nordic Names. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
WPanthroponymy.svg
This page or section lists people that share the same given name or the same family name.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change that link to point directly to the intended article.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.