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Abdul (also
transliterated Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one script to another that involves swapping letters (thus '' trans-'' + '' liter-'') in predictable ways, such as Greek → , Cyrillic → , Greek → the digraph , Armenian → or ...
as Abdal, Abdel, Abdil, Abdol, Abdool, or Abdoul; ar, عبد ال, ) is the most frequent transliteration of the combination of the Arabic word '' Abd'' (, meaning "Servant") and the definite prefix '' al / el'' (, meaning "the"). It is the initial component of many
compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struct ...
names, names made of two words. For example, , ', usually spelled ''Abdel Hamid'', ''Abdelhamid'', ''Abd El Hamid'' or ''Abdul Hamid'', which means "servant of The Praised" (God). The most common use for ''Abdul'' by far, is as part of a male
given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...
, written in English. When written in
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
, ''Abdul'' is subject to variable spacing, spelling, and hyphenation. It is a common name in the
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Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
countries of
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. The meaning of ''Abdul'' literally and normally means "Slave of the", but English translations also often translate it to "Servant of the".


Spelling variations

Variations in spelling are primarily because of the variation in pronunciation. Arabic speakers normally pronounce and transcribe their names of Arabic origin according to their spoken Arabic dialects. Therefore, it is pronounced and written ''Abdel...'' or ''Abd El...''. However, non-Arabic speakers or Arabic speakers may choose to transcribe the name according to the Literary Arabic pronunciation, which is the language of
Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Classical Arabic, Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation in Islam, revelation from God in Islam, ...
, pronounced as and written ''Abdul...''. For other variations in spelling, see the
Arabic grammar Arabic grammar or Arabic language sciences ( ar, النحو العربي ' or ar, عُلُوم اللغَة العَرَبِيَّة ') is the grammar of the Arabic language. Arabic is a Semitic language and its grammar has many similarities with ...
section.


Etymology

In Arabic language, the word ' means "slave" or "servant", from the
triliteral root The roots of verbs and most nouns in the Semitic languages are characterized as a sequence of consonants or " radicals" (hence the term consonantal root). Such abstract consonantal roots are used in the formation of actual words by adding the vowel ...
', which is also related to the word ', "worshiping". Therefore, the word has the positive connotation, in an Islamic sense, of worshiping and praising God, i.e. being a servant to God rather than idols.


Theophoric naming

Essentially there is no ''Abdul'', without the second part when written in Arabic, thus it appears as a component of many Arabic and specifically Muslim names, where it is the opening of a religiously based name, meaning: "Servant of..." with the last component of the name being one of the
names of God in Islam Names of God in Islam ( ar, أَسْمَاءُ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ , "''Allah's Beautiful Names''") are names attributed to God in Islam by Muslims. While some names are only in the Quran, and others are only in the hadith, th ...
, which would form a Muslim Arabic
theophoric name A theophoric name (from Greek: , ''theophoros'', literally "bearing or carrying a god") embeds the word equivalent of 'god' or God's name in a person's name, reflecting something about the character of the person so named in relation to that deit ...
. Such as Abdullah simply meaning "Servant of God" while "Abdul Aziz" means "Servant of the Almighty" and so on. The name ''Abdul Masih'', ("Servant of the
Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...
") is an Arabic
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
equivalent. In addition, ''Abdul'' is occasionally, though much more rarely, used in reference to a figure other than God. For example, the Indian name ''Abdul Mughal'', ("Servant of the Mughal Empire").


Derived theophoric names

;The most common names are listed below *
Abdullah Abdullah may refer to: * Abdullah (name), a list of people with the given name or surname * Abdullah, Kargı, Turkey, a village * ''Abdullah'' (film), a 1980 Bollywood film directed by Sanjay Khan * '' Abdullah: The Final Witness'', a 2015 Pakis ...
,
Servant A domestic worker or domestic servant is a person who works within the scope of a residence. The term "domestic service" applies to the equivalent occupational category. In traditional English contexts, such a person was said to be "in service ...
of
Allah Allah (; ar, الله, translit=Allāh, ) is the common Arabic word for God. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam. The word is thought to be derived by contraction from '' al- ilāh'', which means "the god", an ...
*
Abdulaziz Abdulaziz ( ota, عبد العزيز, ʿAbdü'l-ʿAzîz; tr, Abdülaziz; 8 February 18304 June 1876) was the 32nd List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire and reigned from 25 June 1861 to 30 May 1876, when he was 187 ...
, Servant of ''the Almighty'' *
Abdulkarim ʻAbd al-Karīm (ALA-LC romanization of ar, عبد الكريم) is a Muslim male given name and, in modern usage, also a surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Karīm'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which give ris ...
, Servant of ''the most Generous'' * Abdurrahim, Servant of ''the Merciful'' *
Abdurrahman Abd al-Rahman ( ar, عبد الرحمن, translit=ʿAbd al-Raḥmān or occasionally ; DMG ''ʿAbd ar-Raḥman''; also Abdul Rahman) is a male Arabic Muslim given name, and in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' Abd'', '' ...
, Servant of ''the Benevolent'' * Abdussalam, Servant of ''the Peaceful'' * Abdulqadir, Servant of ''the Powerful'' *
Abdul Latif Abdul Latif ( ar, عبد اللطيف, translit=ʻAbd al-Laṭīf) is a Muslim male given name and, in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' ʻabd'' and ''al-Laṭīf'', one of the names of God in the Qur'an, which gave rise to ...
, Servant of ''the Gentle''


Arabic grammar

When followed by a sun letter, the ''l'' in '' al'' (normally pronounced colloquially ''el'') assimilates to the initial consonant of the following noun, resulting in a doubled consonant. For example, "Abdul Rahman", would be pronounced in Literary Arabic: Abdur-Rahman . When the definite article is followed by a
moon letter In Arabic and Maltese, the consonants are divided into two groups, called the sun letters or solar letters ( ar, حروف شمسية ', mt, konsonanti xemxin) and moon letters or lunar letters (Arabic: ', mt, konsonanti qamrin), based on wh ...
, no assimilation takes place. Therefore, ''Abdul'' is not always used as the opening part of the name; if the second part starts with a sun letter, it may become forms including Abdun, Abdur, Abdus, or Abdush, the vowel in each name, similarly with ''Abdul'', is also open to differing transliterations.


Independent naming

''Abdul'' does not appear on its own as a male given name when written in Arabic. In some cultures, the theophoric part may appear to be a stand-alone middle name, or surname, thus confusing people as to whether ''Abdul'' is an accepted given name. Often if someone shortens his/her name, he may equally choose the theophoric part or ''Abdul''. However, ''Abdul'' by itself is sometimes used as an independent full given first name outside of Arabic-speaking societies. Sometimes ''Abdul'' is followed by a word describing
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
the Prophet, for example "Abd un Nabi", which means "slave/servant of the prophet".


Given name

*
Abdul Thompson Conteh Abdul Thompson Conteh (born July 2, 1970 in Freetown) is a former Sierra Leonean Association football, football striker. Conteh played three seasons in Major League Soccer, with San Jose Earthquakes in 2000 and D.C. United in 2001 and 2002. ...
(born 1970), Sierra Leonean footballer *
Abdul Diallo Abdul Moktar Dialo (born December 23, 1985, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso) is a footballer. Career His career began in Europe in 2005 at the age of 20 when he signed a professional contract with Panthrakikos F.C. He was a member of Panthrakik ...
(born 1985), Burkina Faso footballer *
Abdul "Duke" Fakir Abdul Kareem Fakir (born December 26, 1935), professionally known as Duke Fakir, is an American singer. He is a founding member of the Motown quartet the Four Tops, from 1953 to the present day. A first tenor, Fakir is the group's lone surviving ...
(born 1935), American singer, best known as a member of the
Four Tops The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet from Detroit who helped to define the city's Motown sound of the 1960s. The group's repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes. Founded as the ...
*
Abdul Gaddy Abdul Gaddy Jr. (born January 26, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Washington Huskies. College career Gaddy was a highly sought after recruit ...
(born 1992), American basketball player *
Abdul Hodge Abdul Raheeda Hodge The Third Jr. (born September 9, 1983) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the tight ends coach at Iowa, where he played as a 3-time all Big-Ten linebacker. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers i ...
(born 1983), American football linebacker *
Abdul Salis Abdul Wahab Mumuni (born 6 July 1979), known professionally as Abdul Salis, is a British actor. He played paramedic Curtis Cooper on ''Casualty'', the longest-running medical drama broadcast in the UK. He is the son of Ghanaian parents who mo ...
(born 1979), British actor *
Abdul Shamsid-Deen Abdul Rahman Shamsid-Deen (born August 1, 1968) is an American retired professional basketball player. College years Shamsid-Deen played college basketball for the Providence College Friars, primarily at the center position. Professional caree ...
(born 1968), American former basketball player *
Abdul Vas Abdul Vas (born 15 March 1981 in Maracay, Venezuela) is a contemporary artist. He grew up living between Suriname, Guyana, and Belgium. After studies at EAVRA in Maracay and at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam he lives and works in Amster ...
(born 1981), Venezuelan artist *
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied phy ...
(1931 – 2015), 11th President of India *
DJ Abdel Abdel-illa Lamriq, better known as DJ Abdel, is a French DJ and record producer playing hip hop, funk and contemporary R&B on major radio stations in France. DJ Abdel became known through his musical participation in the French Canal+ televi ...
, French DJ and producer of Moroccan descent playing hip hop, funk and contemporary R&B


Surname

*
David Abdul David Abdul (born 17 August 1989) is an Aruban football player. Currently, he plays for SV Dakota and also features for the Aruba national team. In his early career, he played professionally for Sparta Rotterdam in the Dutch Eerste Divisie. Clu ...
(born 1989), Aruban footballer *
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran. Given name Karim * Karim A ...
(born 1947), American basketball player *
Lida Abdul Lida Abdul is a video artist and performance artist from Afghanistan. She was born as Lida Abdullah in Kabul in 1979, fled the country as a child during the Soviet Invasion, and went on to live in India and Germany then the United States. Her mos ...
(born 1973), Persian artist *
Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...
(born 1962), American singer and television personality {{surname


Fictional characters

*
Abdul Alhazred The ', also referred to as the ''Book of the Dead'', or under a purported original Arabic title of ', is a fictional grimoire (textbook of magic) appearing in stories by the horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and his followers. It was first menti ...
, character created by American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft *
Abdul ibn Shareef Abdul (also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as Abdal, Abdel, Abdil, Abdol, Abdool, or Abdoul; ar, عبد ال, ) is the most frequent transliteration of the combination of the Arabic word ''Abd (Arabic), Abd'' (, meaning "Servant") and th ...
, fictional politician on ''The West Wing'' *
Mohammed Avdol is the third story arc of the manga series ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'' written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. The arc was serialized for a little over 3 years. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from April 3, 1989, ...
(also spelled Abdul), fictional character in the
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
and
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
''
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. It was originally serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from 1987 to 2004, and was transferred to the monthly ''seinen'' manga ...
'' created by
Hirohiko Araki is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for his long-running series ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'', which began publication in ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' in 1987 and has over 120 million copies in circulation, making it one of the best-selling ...


See also

*
Abdu In Medicine, abdo is short for abdominal. As a name, notable people called Abdo, Abdou or Abdu include: People A masculine Arabic name, and a nickname for Abdul. The name is also of Syriac origin and is a variant of 'Abdā, meaning 'servant' or ' ...
, a nickname for the compound name or a given name. In this case it's not necessarily a name given to a
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
*
Abdi Abdi is a male name. It is a given name used in several countries with different origins. The Oromo version of the name, used within Ethiopia, translates to ‘Hope’. Among others, one version has Arabic has meaning which is loosely translated a ...
, similar to Abdu *
Abdiel Abdiel ( he, עֲבְדִּיאֵל "Servant of El") is a biblical name which has been used as the name for a number of several notable people. The name has the same meaning as Obadiah and is cognate with the Arabic name Abdullah. Abdiel is mentio ...
, Biblical name meaning "Servant of God" *
Abdullah (disambiguation) Abdullah may refer to: * Abdullah (name), a list of people with the given name or surname * Abdullah, Kargı, Turkey, a village * ''Abdullah'' (film), a 1980 Bollywood film directed by Sanjay Khan * '' Abdullah: The Final Witness'', a 2015 Pakis ...
, often confused with having the same meaning as ''Abdul'' *
Arabic name Arabic language names have historically been based on a long naming system. Many people from the Arabic-speaking and also Muslim countries have not had given/ middle/family names but rather a chain of names. This system remains in use throughout ...
* Composites like Abdel-Halim *
Turkish name A Turkish name consists of an ''ad'' or an ''isim'' (given name; plural ''adlar'' and ''isimler'') and a ''soyadı'' or ''soyisim'' (surname). Turkish names exist in a "full name" format. While there is only one ''soyadı'' (surname) in the full na ...


References

Arabic-language surnames Arabic masculine given names Pakistani masculine given names