Surname Mourad - Meaning and Origin

Mourad: What does the surname Mourad mean?

The last name Mourad is of Arabic, Turkish, and Persian origin. It is derived from the Arabic element “murad”, which means “desire, wish”, as well as “fee, religion” or “prayer” in Persian. Because of the multiple cultures in which this name is found, the literal meaning as well as its metaphorical interpretation may vary from one place to another. In Turkey, for example, Mourad was a noble title given to those of high standing. In other places, the Mourad family name may be used as an indication of a person being devoted to God or having a desirable characteristic or quality.

The name Mourad can also provide insight into the social values held within a particular family or culture. For instance, in some cases the name may be taken to mean the devotion of the family to their religion or faith. Other interpretations may include wanting to achieve a certain goal or to be of a certain quality, such as being honest, kind, or strong.

Ultimately, the name Mourad conveys a strong sense of ambition and desire in a person or family. It is a timeless name that has been used for centuries to signify a family’s commitment to their faith, love, and ambition for a better future. In the modern-day, this name carries forward these values, providing a sense of purpose and empowerment for those who have inherited the name.

Mourad: Where does the name Mourad come from?

The last name Mourad is most commonly found among people of Arab and Middle Eastern descent. It is particularly popular in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. The name has also been adopted by various ethnic and religious minorities throughout the world, owing to the diaspora of people from this region.

In Europe, Middle Eastern countries like Syria and Lebanon have had significant populations of people with the last name Mourad. More recently, however, the name has spread to countries where many refugees have sought asylum, such as Sweden, Austria, Germany and Italy.

The United States also has a large population of people with the last name Mourad, mainly thanks to an influx of people leaving the Middle East in the post-9/11 era. According to a 2020 estimate, over 80,000 people in the United States had the last name Mourad.

In Canada, the number of people with the surname Mourad was approximately 33,000 in 2020, still making it one of the more common last names. French-speaking Canadians with Lebanese, Syrian or other Middle Eastern origins compose the majority of people with this last name.

Overall, the last name Mourad continues to be associated with Middle Eastern and Arab cultural heritage, but has spread far and wide over the centuries as people have moved around in search of a better life.

Variations of the surname Mourad

The surname Mourad has a variety of alternate spellings and variants. Depending on the language and region, Mourad can be spelled as Mourat, Mourut, Murad, Morat, and Morut. The surname is also used as a given name, serving as the masculine form of Morade, a romanticized variant of the name meaning “destined to love” in Arabic. The most common variants of Mourad include Murat, Muratov, Muratoff, Muratyan, Muradyantz, Muratbekov, and Muradyanyants.

Outside of Arabized spelling, the surname also has Turkish and Armenian variants of Murat. The Armenian language variant is often transliterated according to the Eastern Armenian dialect as Mouradikian or Mouradyan. In Turkish, the surname Mourad is most commonly spelled Murat. However, Murat is a popular given name in Turkey as well, so the surname variant is sometimes spelled Mouratto, Mouradoglu, Mouratoglu, or Mouraddar. In Greece, the surname Mourad is often transliterated as Mouratis.

Other surnames with origins traced back to Mourad such as Moshen, Morshed, or Mosaad also exist in various cultures. Moshen, with Hebrew origins, is rarely found in the United States, and generally refers to religious scholars, while Morshed commonly referenced to religious leaders in Persia. In India, Mosaad is used for both given name and surname purposes, and is also a nickname referencing a wise leader. In some cases, phonetic variations such as Mouraud and Mowarad are used instead of Mourad.

Famous people with the name Mourad

• Mena Mourad: Egyptian artist and actor
• Manel El Abed Mourad: President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
• Elie Mourad: Lebanese politician and diplomat
• Theogene Brian Mourad: Prime Minister of Burkina Faso
• Reemacce Mourad: Egyptian actress
• Leïla Slimani: Moroccan-born French writer and journalist
• Vicken Cheterian: Lebanese-Armenian journalist and researcher
• Mirna Mourad: Lebanese pop singer
• Ibrahim Mourad: Algerian footballer
• Mahmoud Mourad: former Lebanese footballer

Other surnames

MouraMouratidis