The story behind Anwar
Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَر (ʔanwar, “most luminous”).
Other language forms and explanations (2)
English entry
Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَار (ʔanwār, “lights”).
Malay entry
Borrowed from Arabic أَنْوَر (ʔanwar).
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): AE1 N W AA0 R / AA1 N W AA0 R
Regional pronunciation variants
- Malay: [an.wa(r)]
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Anwar ranked #3129 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Anwar
Akbar
Borrowed from Arabic أكبر.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Almir
From Arabic أَمِير (ʔamīr, “prince, commander”). Compare Slovene Almir, Serbo-Croatian Almir, Albanian Almir.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Amir
From Arabic أَمِير (ʔamīr, “commander, prince”). Doublet of amir, emir, admiral, and amira.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Anar
Borrowed from Arabic أَنَارَ (ʔanāra) or Classical Persian انار (anār). Thought to be popularized by Rəsul Rza.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Bashar
From Arabic بَشَّار (baššār).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Basheer
From Arabic بَشِير (bašīr, “bringer of good news”)
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Anwar
Abacar
Borrowed from Arabic أَبُو بَكْر (ʔabū bakr, literally “father of a young camel; father of a person named Bakr”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends R
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abdala
From Old Galician-Portuguese Abdalla, from Arabic عَبْدُ الله (ʕabdu llāh).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Abdeslam
Borrowed from Arabic عَبْدُ ٱلسَّلَام (ʕabdu s-salām).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Anwar
Bahriye
Inherited from Ottoman Turkish بحریه, from Arabic بَحْرِيَّة (baḥriyya).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Barack
Anglicized spelling, used by Luo speakers, of Barak, ostensibly as an Old Testament name. A cognate of the biblical Baruch.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Barak
From Hebrew בָּרָק (“lightning”). From Arabic بَارَك (bārak, “he who is blessed”). Cognate with the biblical name Baruch of Hebrew origin. The usage of the root ب ر ك (b r k)…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends K
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length