لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ٧٢
By your life, [O Muḥammad], indeed they were, in their intoxication, wandering blindly.
عَمْرو
Amr: meaning of the name
Boy Arabic origin ʿAmr
CompanionIn the Quran“Life, lifespan”, a name given in the hope of a long life
The word as it is recited in the Quran: Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary, Al-Hijr 15:72.
Amr in Islam
The word occurs once in the Quran, in an oath that most commentators understand as Allah swearing by the life of the Prophet ﷺ: “By your life!” (laʿamruka, 15:72). ʿAmr ibn al-ʿAs embraced Islam in 8 AH; the Prophet ﷺ told him that Islam wipes out what came before it (Muslim 121) and gave him command of the army of Dhat al-Salasil (al-Bukhari 3662). Under ʿUmar he conquered Egypt, where he died in 43 AH.
Meaning of the name Amr
ʿAmr means “life, lifespan”: ʿamr and ʿumr are two forms of the same word, from the root ʿ-m-r, but only ʿamr is used in the oath laʿamri, “by my life”. The Lisan al-ʿArab explains that a child was named ʿAmr “in the hope that he would live”. The final waw is not pronounced: it only serves to distinguish ʿAmr (عمرو) from ʿUmar (عمر) in writing. Nor should it be confused with ʿAmir or with Amir, “prince”.
- In Arabic
- عَمْرو عمرو
- Transliteration
- ʿAmr
- Root
- ع م ر · 24 occurrences in the Quran
- Gender
- Boy
- Origin
- Arabic
Is Amr in the Quran?
Yes: the word Amr appears in the Quran once, in one surah.
All the words of the root ع م ر in the Quran (24 occurrences)
In the hadiths
Authentic
Sahih Muslim 121
Are you not aware that Islam wipes out all (sins) that preceded it, and that Hijrah wipes out all (sins) that preceded it, and that Hajj wipes out all (sins) that preceded it?
Ibn Shumāsah al-Mahri reported: We went to ‘Amr ibn al-Āas (may Allah be pleased with him) when he was on his death bed. He wept for long and turned his face to the wall. His son kept saying: "O Father, didn't the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) give you the glad…
الإِسْلاَمَ يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهُ وَأَنَّ الْهِجْرَةَ تَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهَا وَأَنَّ الْحَجَّ يَهْدِمُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَهُ " . وَمَا كَانَ أَحَدٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم…
Authentic
Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 3662
The Prophet (ﷺ) deputed me to read the Army of Dhat-as-Salasil. I came to him and said, "Who is the most beloved person to you?" He said, " `Aisha." I asked, "Among the men?" He said, "Her father." I said, "Who then?" He said, "Then `Umar bin Al-Khattab." He then named other men.
أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ " عَائِشَةُ ". فَقُلْتُ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ فَقَالَ " أَبُوهَا ". قُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ " ثُمَّ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ ". فَعَدَّ رِجَالاً
Is this name permissible?
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Amr in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
Writing Amr in each language
- French
- Amr, Amrou, Amro
- English
- Amr, Amru, Amro
- Spanish
- Amr
- Turkish
- Amr
- Arabic
- عَمْرو
Similar names
Same root (ع م ر)
- Aamirعَامِر “One who settles and makes prosperous”; inhabited, flourishing
- Ammarعَمَّار “One who builds and brings to life”; a man firm in his faith
- Imranعِمْرَان Name of the father of Maryam; Surah 3 is called “The Family of ʿImran”
- Umairعُمَيْر Diminutive of ʿAmr or ʿUmar: “little life”, a wish for long life
- Umarعُمَر “Life, long life”, from the root ʿ-m-r; the name of the second caliph of Islam
- Umranعُمْرَان “Prosperity, the life of an inhabited, cultivated land”
