Anwar (or Anwer, Anwaar, Anouar, Anvar, Enver) is the English transliteration of two Arabic names commonly used in the Arab world by both Arab Christians and Muslims: the male given name ʼAnwar (أنور), meaning "luminous" or the female given name ʼAnwār (أنوار), meaning "a collection of lights". In Arabic, Anwar is also a comparative adjective with the meaning of "more enlightened".[1]
Both variations may also be encountered as surnames, sometimes also with the accompanying "al" (the definite article "the") as in Al Anwar.
In Francophone countries, both names are usually transliterated as Anoir, Anouar and Al Anouar with the definite article "al". The name is transliterated in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Turkey as Enver.
Notable people with the name Anwar and variants include:
People with the given name[edit]
- Anwar (singer) (born 1949), Indian playback singer
- Anwar Ali (banker) (1913–1974), Pakistani economist
- Anwar al-Awlaki (1971–2011), Yemeni-American imam and al-Qaeda leader
- Anwar El Ghazi (born 1995), Dutch-Moroccan footballer
- Anwar Fazal (born 1941), Malaysian environmental activist
- Anwar Gargash (born 1959), Emirati politician
- Anwar Haddam, Algerian politician
- Anwar Hussain (actor) (1928–1988), Indian film actor
- Anwar Hussain (cricketer) (1920–2002), Pakistani cricketer
- Anwar Ibrahim (born 1947), 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia
- Anwar Jibawi, American Internet personality
- Anwar Khan (cricketer) (born 1955), Pakistani cricketer
- Anwar Maqsood (born 1940), Pakistani television entertainer
- Anwar Pervez (born 1935), Pakistan-British businessman
- Anwar Sadat (1918–1981), 3rd President of Egypt
- Anwar Shaikh (critic of Islam) (1928–2006), Pakistani-British author
- Anwar Shaikh (economist) (born 1945), Pakistani-American economist
- Anwer Sultan (born 1962), Indian sport shooter
- Anwar Siraj (born 1978), Ethiopian football defender
- Anwar Tjokroaminoto, Indonesian journalist and politician, former prime minister of Pasundan
- Anwar Wagdi (1904–1955), Egyptian actor and director
- Anouar Abdel-Malek (1924–2012), Egyptian-French political scientist
- Anouar Ayed (born 1978), Tunisian handball player
- Anouar Benmalek (born 1956), Algerian novelist, journalist, mathematician and poet
- Anouar Ben Naceur (born 1983), Tunisian swimmer
- Anouar Brahem (born 1957), Tunisian oud player and composer
- Anouar Diba (born 1983), Dutch footballer of Moroccan descent
- Anouar Hadouir (born 1982), Dutch footballer of Moroccan descent
- Anouar Kali (born 1991), Dutch footballer of Moroccan descent
People with the surname[edit]
- Aamer Anwar, Scottish lawyer
- Anan Anwar, Thai singer
- Chairil Anwar, Indonesian poet
- Desi Anwar, Indonesian reporter
- Faraz Anwar, Pakistani guitarist
- Gabrielle Anwar, English actress
- Gazi Mazharul Anwar (1943–2022), Bangladeshi film director
- Joko Anwar, Indonesian film critic and writer
- Joni Anwar, Thai singer
- Rosihan Anwar, Indonesian journalist
- Saeed Anwar, former Pakistani cricketer
- Tariq Anwar (film editor), film editor and father of Gabrielle Anwar
- Tariq Anwar (politician), Indian politician
Fictional characters with the given name[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Judith Rosenhouse (Spring 2002). "Personal Names in Hebrew and Arabic: Modern Trends Compared to the Past". Journal of Semitic Studies. 47 (1): 106. doi:10.1093/jss/47.1.97.