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Dhul-Qarnayn

/thool-qar-NAYN/

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Meaning

Owner of Two Horns (Great King)

Linguistic Origin

Arabic

Islamic Classification

Quranic

Regional Usage

Worldwide Muslim usage

Global Spellings

Arabic ذو القرنين
Urdu ذوالقرنین
Persian ذوالقرنین
Turkish Zülkarneyn
Bengali যুল-কারনাইন
Indonesian Dzul Qarnayn
Pashto ذوالقرنین

Alternate Spellings

The name Dhul-Qarnayn is a classic masculine title rooted in Quranic tradition. The name holds the profound meaning of 'Owner of Two Horns (Great King)', reflecting qualities that parents often wish to bestow upon their child.

While popular in Quranic regions, Dhul-Qarnayn has a modern appeal that transcends borders. It is an excellent choice for a modern Muslim family honoring tradition.

Dhul-Qarnayn, "possessor of the two horns," is a righteous and powerful king described in the Quran (18:83-98), who journeyed to the east and west and built a barrier to protect a people from Gog and Magog.

Reference Profile

Etymology

Literally 'the possessor of two horns' or 'the two-horned one' in Arabic - a descriptive epithet rather than a personal name.

Islamic Significance

A righteous and powerful ruler described in the Quran who travels widely and builds a barrier to contain Gog and Magog (Yajuj and Majuj). His real-world identity is genuinely debated among scholars - Alexander the Great is the most widely cited identification, though Cyrus the Great and other figures have also been proposed.

Quranic Connection

His account is told in Quran 18:83-98.

Cultural / Regional Usage

Used across the Muslim world, with common variants including Dhul-Qarnayn and Zulqarnain.