Zulaikha

Meaning of Zulaikha

Zulaikha is a female given name of Arabic origin, derived from a root denoting brightness and fairness and historically linked to the Qur’anic account of the wife of al-Aziz who, in classical Islamic, Persian and Sufi narratives, is depicted as the central figure of the Yusuf legend, embodying desire, repentance and spiritual transformation; in Western literary reception her story has appeared in medieval translations and later poetic adaptations, underscoring the name’s enduring cultural resonance. In the United States Zulaikha remains uncommon, with annual occurrences ranging from five to eleven newborns between 2017 and 2024 and corresponding Social Security rankings in the nine hundreds. Pronounced zoo-LAY-kah in Arabic (/zuˈlaɪki.ha/), the name presents parents with a choice that combines deep historical significance and literary heritage with a distinct contemporary rarity.

Pronunciation

Arabic

• Pronunced as zoo-LAY-kah (/zuˈlaɪki.ha/)

• Zuleika
• Zulaika