Zaman
A surname from a word meaning “time” or “era,” widely used in Muslim naming traditions.
The #8,865 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 83,580 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Zaman comes from the Arabic word zamān, meaning “time,” “age,” or “era.” The name entered many Muslim naming traditions through Arabic and Persian, and is used both as a personal name element and as a hereditary surname. In some South Asian contexts, it can also reflect the cultural prestige of Arabic and Persian vocabulary in Muslim communities.
History
As a surname, Zaman is found especially among Muslims in South Asia, the Middle East, and diaspora communities. It may arise from a given name, a compound name, or a family line that adopted the word as a hereditary surname. The spelling is generally stable in Latin script, though pronunciation can vary by language.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Arabic and Persian poetry, zamān is a common literary word for “time” or “the age,” which helped make it feel elegant and learned as a name element.