Safiyyah
/sˤa.fiː.jaː/noun
A feminine Arabic given name meaning pure, sincere, or chosen friend.
Did you know?Safiyyah bint Huyayy, a 7th-century wife of the Prophet Muhammad, is one of the best-known historical bearers of the name.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic (reconstructed)
Proto-Semitic
*ṣ-p-w / *ṣ-p-y
“A reconstructed root associated with purity, cleanness, or selection; the exact proto-form is debated.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣafiyy (صَفِيّ)
“Pure, sincere, intimate friend, or chosen one.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ṣafiyya (صَفِيَّة)
“Feminine form meaning a pure or chosen woman; also used as a personal name.”
7th Century
Arabic
Ṣafiyyah bint Ḥuyayy
“A prominent historical bearer of the name and one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad.”
Modern English
English
Safiyyah / Safiya
“An Arabic feminine given name used internationally in multiple transliteration forms.”