Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, announced the arrival of a baby girl on social media this week.
One day after Mother's Day in the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan shared the happy news with his 16 million followers and also revealed her name; Hind bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.
The newborn girl joins the family as baby sister to Mohammed, born in February 2023, and to twin siblings, a boy named Rashid and a girl named Shaikha, born in May 2021.
There are several meanings of the name Hind. One of its more literal translations is a group of camels.
Hind can also mean abundance. It is said to derive from the ancient Arabic word Hint, meaning wealth or blessing.
It is also a meaningful name is Islam, as Hind was the first name of one of the wives of Prophet Mohammed.
The newborn girl shares her first name with Sheikh Hamdan's mother, Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum.
The fourth child of Sheikh Hamdan, the name Hind also seemingly follows a naming pattern established with his other children.
His first borns are named Rashid and Shaikha. The boy's name Rashid means rightfully guided, or having true faith. Al Rashid is also one of the 99 names of Allah.
As a royal title among Arab ruling families, the name Shaikha holds deep significant in Arabic history and culture. The word means wise, and is the feminine equivalent to the male name Sheikh.
In 2023, Sheikh Hamdan welcomed a son named Mohammed, a very significant name in the Muslim faith owing to the Prophet Mohammed. The original name can mean both praiseworthy or commendable, and is the most common name in the world.
In the post shared to social media, which was written in both Arabic and English, Sheikh Hamdan included a prayer that read: “Alhamdulillah for the blessing and the completion of grace. By the will of Allah, our daughter was born: Hind bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.”
The post also included a prayer asking for the child to be granted a heart full of faith and love for God, along with good health and well-being.
