Hussein
/hʊˈseɪn/noun
A masculine Arabic given name and surname, also commonly transliterated Husayn or Husain.
Did you know?In Islamic history, Husayn ibn Ali became a central martyr figure after his death at Karbala in 680 CE, especially in Shi'a Islam.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ḥsn
“Reconstructed root associated with goodness, beauty, and excellence”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥasuna
“To be good, beautiful, or excellent”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
Ḥasan
“Good, handsome, or beautiful; also a personal name”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
Ḥusayn
“A diminutive form of Ḥasan, meaning little Hasan or little good/beautiful one”
680 CE
Arabic
al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī
“The name of Muhammad’s grandson, remembered as a martyr of Karbala”
Modern English
English
Hussein
“An English transliteration of the Arabic personal name Ḥusayn”