Surname Khalil - Meaning and Origin

Khalil: What does the surname Khalil mean?

Khalil is an Arabic and Middle Eastern surname that typically translates as “friend.” Its meaning conveys friendship, devotion, and a bond of solidarity with others. The name 'Khalil’ can be found in countries around the world, including Bahrain, Egypt, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates.

Khalil is considered to be a unifying name, as it holds a special meaning to people from different religious backgrounds and cultural heritages. It is highly respected as a name of honor, loyalty and friendship. The name Khalil is derived from the Arabic root Ḥ-L-L, which carries the meaning of “one who stands together with another”.

Khalil is a name of great significance in Islam as it refers to a beloved companion of Prophet Muhammad, God’s Apostle. His full name is al-Khalīl ibn ʿAbdallāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muttalib and he was a renowned early Muslim scholar, counselor, and advocate for social justice.

In modern-day usage, Khalil is seen as a strong and noble name which is associated with warmth, kindness, compassion and strong-willed leadership and guidance. It is believed that people with this name have the potential to do great things in their lives and the potential to be highly successful.

Khalil: Where does the name Khalil come from?

The surname Khalil is most common in the Arabic-speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa. According to the World Christian Database, the name Khalil is among the most common surnames in Egypt and Syria, with more than 690,000 and 270,000 bearers, respectively. Outside of those countries, the name is also given as a first name throughout the Middle East, especially among the Muslim community, and can often be found in North America, Europe, and Australia, among immigrants from those countries. In the U.K., for example, there were over 2,000 people with the last name Khalil in 2018, while in the U.S., there are over 11,000 people who carry the name. In Canada, meanwhile, populous cities like Toronto and Montreal are home to significant Arab communities, and as such Khalil is among the more common surnames. As Khalil's regional origin suggests, the origin of the name is often understood to signify loyalty, dedication and friendship, all qualities that the person with this name is said to embody.

Variations of the surname Khalil

The surname Khalil is a common name across many languages, cultures, and countries. Some of these variant spellings include Kalil, Kaleli, and Kahlil among many others. There are a few versions of this surname in different languages, such as al-Khalil in Arabic and Khalíl in Greek. The name can also be found as a surname in various other languages, such as Hebrew (חליל), Spanish (Calil) and Russian (Халил).

The surname is also sometimes used by members of Muslim families in India, where the name is spelled as "Khalil". This spelling is especially common among Indian Muslims in the state of Kerala, where the surname is widely used.

The name Khalil is also found amongst other Middle Eastern and African countries, such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Egypt. It is often associated with ancient Arabic names such as: Kalil, Kahlil, Khalilullah, or Kalilu. In some cases, people have adopted the surname Khalil as a patronymic, meaning that their father or ancestor had a first name of Khalil.

The surname is also found in some former Soviet Union countries, such as Ukraine and Belarus. In these countries, the name is usually spelled similarly to the spelling in the Russian language: Халил.

In France, the name is spelled as Calil, while in Germany it is commonly rendered as Khalil or Khallil.

The surname Khalil can also be found as a first name, and as a result, several family names include the name: Khalilian, Khalilovic, Khalili, and Khalilov.

Overall, the surname Khalil has a wide variety of spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin.

Famous people with the name Khalil

• Kamal Khalil: Egyptian journalist.
• Tariq Khalil: Syrian Army officer.
• Marwan Khalil: Lebanese entrepreneur.
• Ahmad Khalil: Jordanian director and screenwriter.
• Osama Khalil: Yemeni political and economic expert.
• Ammar Khalil: Iraqi poet and writer.
• Karim Khalil: Tunisian diplomat.
• Yasser Khalil: Syrian actor.
• Salahuddin Khalil: Saudi Arabian businessman.
• ImamShamsiKhalil: Afghan politician.
• Amal Khalil: Egyptian singer and actress.
• Asmaa Khalil: Lebanese artist and actress.
• Shadi Khalil: Jordanian journalist.
• Malak Khalil: Palestinian journalist.
• Mohammad Khalil: Kuwaiti poet and author.
• Haytham Khalil: Egyptian director, screenwriter and producer.
• Samir Khalil: Lebanese historian and author.
• Mowaffak Khalil: Syrian diplomat and scholar.
• Abdelkafi Khalil: Tunisian writer.
• Akil Khalil: Palestinian freedom fighter.

Other surnames

khalidkhalidiKhalili