Qays, name meaning in Islam.

Qays (قَيْس) is an Arabic name for boys. It means an old Arabic name, said to mean firm or steadfast. Its root means to measure; the exact meaning of the name is debated.

Meaning and root

In Arabic, words are built from a root of usually three letters. Qays comes from the root ق ي س, and words from the same root share its core meaning. Similar names from the same family of words are listed below.

Is Qays in the Quran?

No. Qays is not a word in the Quran. A name does not need to be in the Quran to be a good Muslim name: what matters is that its meaning is good. The Prophet ﷺ changed names with bad meanings and kept names with good ones.¹

How to say and write Qays

Say it QAYS. The capital letters show the stressed part. In English it is also spelled Qais, Kais and Kays. In Arabic it is written with 3 letters, from right to left: ق qaf + ي ya + س sin.

Choosing Qays

Many parents choose Qays to name their child after someone from the early generations of Islam, hoping the child will grow up with the same qualities. With the father's name it becomes Qays bin (and the father's name): see what bin, bint and abu mean.

Famous people named Qays

• Qays ibn Sad ibn Ubadah, the companion
• Qays ibn al-Mulawwah, the poet known as Majnun Layla

Names like Qays

• Adnan
• Saad
• Hisham

1. Sahih Muslim 2139, the Prophet ﷺ changing a name with a bad meaning.
2. Sahih Muslim 2315.
3. Sahih Muslim 2132.
4. Meanings follow classical Arabic usage and the standard name dictionaries; our teachers will check each one.

Our teachers will check the Arabic spelling and meaning on this page before launch.