Unisex name
İman name meaning
“religious faith; heartfelt belief”
İman means “religious faith” or “heartfelt belief.” Used for both girls and boys in Türkiye, it comes through Ottoman Turkish from Arabic īmān. The source word connects belief with trust and affirmation. Its concrete linguistic association is the Turkish expression iman etmek, meaning to believe or profess faith.
What does İman mean?
Religious faith; heartfelt belief
In Turkish: dinî inanç; gönülden inanma
İman is a central Turkish word for religious faith. Everyday and literary usage can also extend it figuratively to strong conviction or commitment. Its use as a personal name draws on this Quranic concept of belief; the meaning of the word does not establish anything about a bearer's religious identity.
The ending “-an” is a common final sound rather than a suffix with one shared meaning here. Aslan, Hasan and Yaman have different origins and structures despite their matching endings. More boy names ending in -an →
Origin of the name İman
It entered Turkish through Ottoman Turkish from Arabic īmān. The source word belongs to the semantic field of believing, trusting and affirming.
| Linguistic origin | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Naming tradition | Islamic |
| In Islamic history | Names found in the Quran |
| Is İman in the Quran? | As a word · الإيمان · 49:7The word īmān appears in the Quran as الإيمان, an ordinary noun meaning faith in the cited verse. |
| Starts with | İ |
Names are shared across communities. Where a name is common says nothing certain about any one person’s background, faith or origin.
How to pronounce İman
| Syllables | 2 · 4 letters · 4-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /iman/ |
| Ottoman Turkish | ایمان |
| Arabic | إيمان |
Is İman a boy’s or a girl’s name?
İman is used for both boys and girls. See all unisex names.
İman does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like İman
Names with related meanings
- İlyas♂My God is Yahweh
- Kader♀Fate, destiny
- Selahattin♂Righteousness of the faith
- Vera♀Faith
- Nurettin♂Light of the faith or religion
- Hanife♀One devoted to belief in one God
- İslam♂Submission to God
- Baver♂Belief, faith, trust
- Resul♂Messenger
- Cihat♂Striving, struggle
- Necmettin♂Star of the faith
- Hanifi♂Associated with hanif belief and religious uprightness
FAQ about the name İman
What is the meaning of İman?
İman means “religious faith; heartfelt belief”. It entered Turkish through Ottoman Turkish from Arabic īmān. The source word belongs to the semantic field of believing, trusting and affirming.
Is İman a boy’s or a girl’s name?
İman is used for both boys and girls.
Is İman in the Quran?
As a word. The word īmān appears in the Quran as الإيمان, an ordinary noun meaning faith in the cited verse. (e.g.: 49:7)
What is the origin of the name İman?
İman is of Arabic origin.
How many syllables does İman have?
İman has 2 syllables and 4 letters.
How popular is the name İman?
İman does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025).
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm07228 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake