Widad — Name Meaning in Islam

Root: و-د-د (w-d-d), "to love, to hold dear, to wish well". Widād is a verbal noun: affection, warm attachment. The root describes love as fondness and goodwill rather than passion — the classical lexicographers separate it from ʿishq, which carries consuming desire, and place wudd nearer to steady, kindly attachment.

From the same root: wudd (love — Maryam 19:96 says the Most Merciful will appoint affection for those who believe and do righteous deeds), mawadda (affection; ar-Rum 30:21 describes affection and mercy placed between spouses), al-Wadūd, the Loving, one of the names of God, which appears in Hud 11:90 and al-Buruj 85:14, wadīd (a friend), tawadud (to show affection), wadda (to wish). The Qur'an also names Wadd in Nuh 71:23 as one of the idols of Nuh's people — the same letters, a very different history.

Spellings: Widad, Wedad, Widad, Vedat is a related but distinct Turkish male name; Vidad (Turkish, rare), Widad (Indonesian), Widad (Urdu), Ouidad or Widad (French/Maghrebi), وداد.

Pronunciation: wi-DAAD — stress on the second syllable, which is long. The doubled d of the root shows in related forms rather than in this one, where the two consonants are separated by the long vowel.

Masculine counterpart: Wadud and Wadi are used, and Vedat in Turkish.