Kunya (Arabic)

A kunya (Arabic: كُنية) is a teknonym in an Arabic name, the name of an adult derived from their eldest child. Sometimes, however, it is derived from the eldest male if the eldest child is female.

A kunya is used as a component of an Arabic name, a type of epithet. Although in theory it refers to the bearer's first-born son or daughter, it may not do so literally, and by extension it may also have hypothetical or metaphorical references, as in a nom de guerre or a nickname. Use of a kunya implies a familiar but respectful setting.

A kunya is expressed by the use of abū (father) or umm (mother) in a genitive construction, i.e. "father of" or "mother of" as an honorific in place of or alongside given names in the Arab world and the Islamic world more generally.

Medieval Jewish names generally had stock kunyas referencing the biblical eponym and not any relative. Those named Abraham received "Abu Yitzhaq", those named Ya’qov, "Abu Yossef," and so on. In some cases the word “abu” is construed beyond the traditional sense of "father," so a person named Isaac received "Abu Abraham" (Son of Abraham) and one named Moses received "Abu Amram". (Son of Amram). It’s also common to have kunyas which reflect qualities, such as "Abu ha-Afiya" (the Healthy) and "Abu ha-Barakat" (the Blessed).