Zaid — Name Meaning in Islam

Root: ز-ي-د (z-y-d), "to increase, to grow, to add". Zayd is the verbal noun used as a name: increase, growth, abundance — what is added to what was already there. It is the standard example name in Arabic grammar books, the way "John Doe" is used in English, so every student of the language meets it in the first lesson.

From the same root: ziyāda (increase; Yunus 10:26 speaks of the best reward and something more), mazīd (more, an increase — Qaf 50:30 and 50:35 both use it), tazayyud, azyad (greater in quantity), istizāda (to seek more), and the names Yazid, Mazyad, Zayda and Ziyad.

Who carried it: Zayd ibn Haritha, a Companion who was raised in the Prophet's ﷺ household and remained exceptionally close to him; his son Usama is also well known. Zayd holds a distinction shared with no other Companion: he is the only one mentioned by his own name in the Qur'an, in al-Ahzab 33:37. There is also Zayd ibn Thabit, among the Companions entrusted with writing revelation.

Spellings: Zaid, Zayd, Zeyd (Turkish), Zaid (Indonesian), Zaid (Urdu), Zaid or Zayd (French/Maghrebi), زيد.

Pronunciation: ZAYD — one syllable, the vowel a clean diphthong as in English "eyed", not two separate syllables.

Feminine counterpart: Zayda, and Ziyada is used rarely.