Meaning & History
Afif (Arabic: عفيف) is an Arabic masculine given name meaning "chaste" — from the root عفّ (ʿaffa) "to refrain, to be chaste". The name embodies chastity, modesty, and self-restraint, virtues highly esteemed in Islamic culture.
Afif is also the name of a city in central Saudi Arabia, located in the Najd region between Riyadh and Mecca. However, the name predates the city, which was named after an old well (بئر عفيف) used by pilgrims traveling to Mecca for Hajj and Umrah. The city, established in the 1910s as a settlement (hijra) for nomadic tribes such as 'Utaybah, gained prominence as a gateway between central and western Arabia and as the first landing site for King Abdulaziz's airplane.
Feminine forms of the name include Afifa and Afifah, sharing the same root meaning of chastity.
- Meaning: Chaste
- Origin: Arabic root ʿaffa
- Type: Masculine first name
- Usage: Arabic-speaking countries