Reyhan
/ˈreɪ.hɑːn/noun
A personal name and Turkish form of an Arabic-derived word meaning basil or a fragrant plant.
Did you know?Arabic rayḥān appears in the Qur’an, where it is associated with fragrant vegetation and, in one passage, the blessed reward awaiting the righteous.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
rayḥān (رَيْحَان)
“A fragrant plant, especially basil; literally associated with fragrance and aromatic vegetation.”
Early Islamic period
Arabic
rayḥān
“A fragrant herb or sweet-smelling plant, used in religious, poetic, and botanical language.”
Medieval Persian
Persian
reyḥān / ریحان
“Basil or another aromatic herb; also adopted as a personal name.”
Ottoman Turkish
Turkish
reyhan
“Basil, fragrant herb, and a feminine personal name.”
Modern English usage
English
Reyhan
“A personal name, usually encountered through Turkish, Persian, Arabic, or South Asian naming traditions.”