يَزِيد
Boy Arabic origin Yazīd
Companion“He grows, he increases”: a verb that became a name
The Companion Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan, brother of Muʿawiya, embraced Islam at the conquest of Mecca. Abu Bakr placed him at the head of one of the armies sent to Syria; he later became governor of Damascus and died in the plague of ʿAmwas in 18 AH. The form yazidu is found in the Quran: “He adds to creation whatever He wills” (35:1).
Yazid is the verb form “he increases, he will grow”, from the root z-y-d of increase, like Zayd and Ziyad: the name expresses the wish that the child may grow and that good may increase. The Arabs formed names on verbs in this way, like Yahya. The name also recalls Yazid ibn Muʿawiya, the Umayyad caliph under whose reign al-Husayn, the Prophet’s grandson ﷺ, was killed at Karbalaʾ in 61 AH (680); this is why it is rarely given in part of the Muslim world.
The name Yazid does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ز ي د) occurs 61 times. Examples:
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُو۟لِىٓ أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَٰثَ وَرُبَٰعَ يَزِيدُ فِى ٱلْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَآءُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ١
[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, Creator of the heavens and the earth, [who] made the angels messengers having wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.
لِّلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ وَزِيَادَةٌ وَلَا يَرْهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمْ قَتَرٌ وَلَا ذِلَّةٌ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَٰلِدُونَ ٢٦
For them who have done good is the best [reward] - and extra. No darkness will cover their faces, nor humiliation. Those are companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally.
وَيَٰقَوْمِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًا وَيَزِدْكُمْ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمْ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوْا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ ٥٢
And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. And do not turn away, [being] criminals."
All the words of the root ز ي د in the Quran (61 occurrences)
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Yazid 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.
