Abdul
/ˈæb.dʊl/noun
A masculine given name or name element derived from Arabic ʿabd al-, meaning a servant or worshipper of the.
Did you know?In Arabic, ʿabd al- traditionally precedes one of God’s names or attributes, as in ʿAbd Allāh, “servant of God”; Abdul alone is often an abbreviated English or South Asian form.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ʕ-b-d
“Reconstructed root associated with serving, working, and worshipping”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ʿabd
“Servant, slave, or worshipper”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
al-
“The definite article, meaning “the””
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ʿabd al-
“Servant of the; a name element requiring a following divine name or epithet”
19th–20th Century
English
Abdul
“English transliteration and independent use of the Arabic name element”