Given Name
Yalda
YAL-da (ˈjældɑ or yal-DAH)
Pronunciation: YAL-da (ˈjældɑ or yal-DAH)
الليلة الأطول (ليلة الميلاد بالمعنى التاريخي)، الميلاد/البعث
Girl Rare
Origin
Persian (used by Muslim communities)
Meaning
The longest night; associated with the winter night festival (birth/celebration of the returning light)
Thematic Cluster
Names Related to Seasons and Night
Islamic Status
Very rare, historically attested in Persianate sources
Verification
Needs Review
Quality Score
Not scored
Religious Confidence
Not scored
Letters
5
Meaning Urdu
سب سے لمبی رات؛ یلدا کی رات (سردیوں کی طویل ترین رات)، پیدائش یا روشنی کا واپسی
Meaning Arabic
الليلة الأطول (ليلة الميلاد بالمعنى التاريخي)، الميلاد/البعث
Yalda (Persian: یلدا; Arabic script often written يلدا) is a feminine name of Persian origin that is historically linked to the festival of Yalda — the longest night of the year celebrated in Persian culture. Etymologically the term traces to Syriac yalda ‘birth’ and became associated in Persian tradition with the winter-night celebration marking the return of longer daylight. As a given name, Yalda is culturally Persianate but is used among Muslim communities influenced by Persian language and literature, including parts of South Asia. It is not a Qur'anic name and therefore has no Surah:Ayah citation. In onomastic discussions it is grouped with seasonal and night-related names; related names and stylistically comparable feminine names include [[Shabnam]] and [[Noor]]. The name evokes poetic imagery (long night, dawn returning) and remains uncommon as a registered Muslim given name outside Persian-speaking areas.
FAQs
Is Yalda an Islamic name?
Yalda is Persian in origin and is used by Muslim communities in Persianate regions; it is culturally associated with the Yalda night festival, not with the Quran.
What does the name Yalda signify?
It signifies the longest night (winter solstice) and by extension themes of birth or the return of light; historically linked to the Persian Yalda celebration.
Can Yalda be used in Arabic-speaking Muslim communities?
Yes. Yalda is used among Arabic speakers especially where Persian cultural influence exists; it is written in Arabic script as يلدا.
Is there a Quranic verse that mentions Yalda?
No. The term Yalda and the festival are cultural-historical; there is no direct Quranic reference.
Is the name Yalda common in South Asia?
It is uncommon but attested in South Asian Muslim communities with Persian cultural ties; overall it remains a rare given name.
Names With Similar Meaning
Muammar
Long-lived; endowed with long life (from Arabic معمر — muʿammar)
Mwanaidi
Child born at Eid; 'born on the festival day'
Rabi'ah
Spring; fourth (feminine); historically associated with Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya, Sufi saint and early Muslim mystic
Moomal
A Sindhi proper name historically attested as the heroine of the Sindhi folktale 'Moomal Rano' (also spelled Momal). The name functions as a cultural given name in Sindh; linguistically it is a proper noun from Sindhi literary tradition rather than a common lexical word with a single lexical meaning.
Yelda
The longest night; associated with Yalda (winter solstice) night and the concept of night and reunion in Persianate culture
Fadma
Berber (Amazigh) variant of the Arabic name Fatima; conveys the sense of 'one who is weaned' or 'one who abstains', with cultural association to Fatima bint Muhammad in Muslim communities.
Twin-Friendly Pairings
Nujeen
New life; renewal, literally 'new-born' or 'modern' (from Kurdish nûjen)
Yeganeh
Unique; matchless; singular (from Persian yegāneh 'یگانه')
Sughrā
The smaller; the younger; diminutive (feminine form, from Arabic root ṣ-gh-r indicating smallness)
Besa
Pledge, promise, trust; a solemn vow or guarantee (Albanian cultural term adopted as a feminine given name among Bosnian and Albanian Muslims)
Fozia
Victorious; successful. Variant spelling of Arabic فوزية (Fawziyya/Fawzia) derived from the root f-w-z (to succeed, to achieve victory). Attested in Somali and South Asian Muslim naming.
Meliha
Beautiful, attractive, graceful (from Arabic مليحة malīḥa meaning 'beautiful' or 'comely')
Sibling-Friendly Names
Nujeen
New life; renewal, literally 'new-born' or 'modern' (from Kurdish nûjen)
Yeganeh
Unique; matchless; singular (from Persian yegāneh 'یگانه')
Sughrā
The smaller; the younger; diminutive (feminine form, from Arabic root ṣ-gh-r indicating smallness)
Muammar
Long-lived; endowed with long life (from Arabic معمر — muʿammar)
Besa
Pledge, promise, trust; a solemn vow or guarantee (Albanian cultural term adopted as a feminine given name among Bosnian and Albanian Muslims)
Fozia
Victorious; successful. Variant spelling of Arabic فوزية (Fawziyya/Fawzia) derived from the root f-w-z (to succeed, to achieve victory). Attested in Somali and South Asian Muslim naming.