To construct nicknames correctly, one must know a bit of Arabic grammar. In general, locative and
To make feminine nicknames from masculine ones, one must make grammatical corrections. For masculine nicknames ending with the –ī suffix, that suffix is replaced with the feminine version –iyya. For masculine occupational and
Color terms are irregular; the vast majority have different masculine and feminine forms:
Documented here in at least one form
Color | Masc. form | Fem. form. |
---|---|---|
White | al-Abyaḍ | al-Bayḍā' |
Black | al-Aswad | al-Sawdā' |
Blue | al-Azraq | al-Zarqā' |
Yellow | al-Aṣfar | al-Ṣafrā' |
Not documented here, but possible bynames
Color | Masc. form | Fem. form. |
---|---|---|
Green | al-Ashḍar | al-Shaḍrā' |
Red | al-Aḥmar | al-Ḥamrā' |
Nickname | Type | Meaning |
---|---|---|
al-`Āhir | descriptive | libertine, fornicator |
al-`Ajūz | descriptive | old |
al-`Arūḍiyya | descriptive | one skilled at prosody (the rhythm of speech) |
al-Ḥajja | descriptive | one who has completed the hajj |
al-Ḥurra | descriptive | 'free' |
al-Ṣāliḥa | descriptive | 'pure' |
al-Aṣila | descriptive | 'noble' |
al-Balansiyya | locative | 'the (f) Valencian' |
al-Bayḍā' | descriptive | 'the white' |
al-Dhalfā' | descriptive | 'the snub-nosed' |
al-Fā`ila | descriptive | dishonorable (note found as ibn al-fā`ila) |
al-Fāsiqa | descriptive | prostitute |
al-Jillīqiyya | locative | 'Gallega' (woman from Galicia) |
al-Kātiba | occupational | the scribe |
al-Labbāna | occupational | 'milkmaid' |
al-Maṣūna | descriptive | 'honest' |
al-Mabrūra | descriptive | 'pious' |
al-Mardanīshiyya | family | descendant of Mardanīsh (king of Valencia) |
al-Mu`allima | occupational | teacher |
al-Mukarrama | descriptive | 'honorable' |
al-Nafzāwiyya | locative | from Nafzā |
al-Qrīqiyya | locative | 'the Greek (woman)' |
al-Rumaykiyya | family | descendant of Rumayk |
al-Sū' | descriptive | 'full of vice' |
al-Suwaydā' | descriptive | 'the (little) black one' |
al-Taqiyya | descriptive | 'God-fearing' |
al-Wā`iẓa | occupational | the preacher |
al-Zā'ina | descriptive | dishonorable |
al-Zakiyya | descriptive | 'intelligent' |
al-Zarqā' | descriptive | the blue-eyed' |
al-Marwāniyya | family | descendant of Marwān |
al-Tamīmiyya | family | descendant of Tamīm |
al-Qurayshiyya | tribal | of the Quraysh tribe |