Anwar

Anwar (also Anwār) is a male first name that is sometimes also used for women and has Arabic roots. It means 'the brightest' or 'the one who shines the brightest'. In Arabic and Muslim culture, the name Anwar is quite common.

What does the name Anwar mean?

Anwar (also Anwār) is a male first name that is occasionally also used for girls and is of Arabic origin. Its meaning includes 'the brightest' or 'the one who shines the brightest'. In the Arabic and Muslim community, the name Anwar is relatively common. A prominent bearer of this name was the former Egyptian president Anwar as-Sadat (1918–1981). Variants of the name include Anuar, Anouar, and Enver.

Where does the name Anwar come from?

The name Anwar comes from the Arabic word ʔanwar (أنور), which means 'brighter, more radiant' and is an elative form of the adjective nayyir (نَيِّر) meaning 'bright, radiant'. In the form Anwār, the name is derived from the Arabic word nūr (نُور) for 'light', as well as its plural ʔanwār (أَنْوَار) for 'lights'. The Arabic word combinations are nayyir (نَيِّر) = bright, radiant, ʔanwar (أنور) = brighter, more radiant, and nūr (نُور) = light or ʔanwār (أَنْوَار) = lights. The languages in which the name is used include Egyptian, Arabic, Indonesian, Muslim, and Urdu.

How do you pronounce Anwar?

The sound and pronunciation of the name Anwar are two syllables and have a deep tone. In German pronunciation, the name is usually pronounced as 'An-war' [ˈanvaʁ]. It begins with an open A sound that conveys presence. The consonant combination '-nw-' creates a slightly tense sound structure. The rolled or guttural 'r' at the end gives the name additional depth. Anwar thus has a dignified and powerful aura - tradition-conscious, clear, and present.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Anwar enjoys great popularity. Currently, it ranks 1,506th on the list of the most common male first names. Its best ranking was in 2009 at 777th place. In the last ten years, Anwar has been chosen as a first name about 170 times, placing it 1,777th in the ten-year statistics. For the period from 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,690th.

Nicknames & pet names

Ani / Anuro / Naro / Nounou

Similar first names

Famous people

• Anwar Abdul Ghanee (Maldivian football player)
• Anwar Al-Aug (football player from Yemen)
• Anwar Ali (cricketer from Pakistan)
• Anwar Ali (football player from India)
• Anwar as-Sadat (1918–1981, Egyptian president)
• Anwar El Ghazi (Dutch football player)
• Anwar El Sadat (president of Egypt (1970-1981))
• Anwar Ghanee (Maldivian footballer)
• Anwar Hadi (Singaporean actor)
• Anwar Hadid (model)
• Anwar Hamed (Palestinian writer)
• Anwar Hossain (actor from Bangladesh)
• Anwar Hossain Monir (Bengali cricketer)
• Anwar Hussain (Indian singer)
• Anwar Hussain (actor from Bangladesh)
• Anwar Ibrahim (* 1947, Malaysian politician)
• Anwar Ismail (footballer from Sudan)
• Anwar Jassam (Iraqi footballer)
• Anwar Jibawi (YouTuber)
• Anwar Khan (cricketer from Pakistan)