Fatima comes from fatm, weaning: Ibn Faris says the root means cutting one thing away from another.
Root
فطم
Name
Girl's name
Also written
Fatimah · Fathima · Fatema · فاطمة
The story of the name, from the sources
1
In Maqayis al-Lugha, Ibn Faris says the root fa-ta-meem means cutting one thing away from another: the mother weaned her child, she took him from the breast.
“a root that means cutting one thing away from another”
“the mother weaned her child”
Ibn Faris
Maqayis al-Lugha · vol. 4, p. 510
2
Lisan al-Arab says the root of the word is cutting off, and that Fatima is one of the names of women, as are Fitam and Futayma.
“the root of the word is cutting off”
“Fatima is one of the names of women” so are Fitam and Futayma
Lisan al-Arab · vol. 12, pp. 454–455
3
Taj al-Arus counts twenty women Companions named Fatima, then corrects itself: twenty-four.
24 Companions
“Fatima: twenty women Companions, no, twenty-four”
Taj al-Arus · vol. 33, pp. 209–213
4
The best known is Fatima, daughter of the Messenger of God, peace be upon him. Ibn Hajar writes that she was called Umm Abiha, the mother of her father, and given the title al-Zahra.
أمُّ أبيها
“She was called Umm Abiha, the mother of her father… and al-Zahra”
Ibn Hajar
al-Isaba · vol. 8, p. 262
5
In Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet said: Fatima is a part of me; whoever angers her angers me. And he told her: are you not content to be the leader of the women of Paradise, or of the believing women?
“Fatima is a part of me; whoever angers her angers me”
“Are you not content to be the leader of the women of Paradise, or of the believing women?”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3714 · 3624
In short
فَاطِمَة
from weaning, one thing cut from another, the name of twenty-four Companions, and of the Prophet’s daughter ﷺ, the mother of her father
A printable piece: Fatima in Arabic calligraphy, its root, and the dictionary line it comes from, with the book, volume and page.
Coming soon · price at launch:
Questions about the name Fatima
What does the name Fatima mean?
Fatima comes from fatm, weaning: Ibn Faris says the root means cutting one thing away from another, as when a mother weans her child. In the film: Taj al-Arus counts twenty-four women Companions named Fatima, and the Prophet's daughter, called Umm Abiha, “Fatima is a part of me” (Sahih al-Bukhari).
How do you write Fatima in Arabic?
Fatima is written فاطمة in Arabic; also spelled Fatimah, Fathima, Fatema.
What is the root of the name Fatima?
In the Arabic dictionaries, Fatima goes back to the root ف · ط · م.
How we researched it
12 books searched · 25 passages read
Maqayis al-Lugha
Lisan al-Arab
Taj al-Arus
al-Isaba
Sahih al-Bukhari
References, by volume and page
Maqayis al-Lugha · vol. 4, p. 510
Lisan al-Arab · vol. 12, pp. 454–455
Taj al-Arus · vol. 33, pp. 209–213
al-Isaba · vol. 8, p. 262
Sahih al-Bukhari 3714 · 3624
We never write “personality traits” of a name, luck or numerology: the dictionaries say nothing of the kind. We give the meaning as the book gives it, and name the book, volume and page.
