Isra

ees-RA | Arabic, “nocturnal journey”

Concise and balanced between soft and sharp, Isra is an Arabic name with an equally alluring meaning: “nocturnal journey” or “one who travels by night”.

Also appearing as Esra and Israa, the name is important in Islamic tradition as it refers to the miraculous Night Journey taken by the Prophet Muhammad , in which he led other prophets to prayer and saw a vision of the afterlife. Typically given as a feminine name, it is occasionally used as a unisex option in Indonesia and India.

Recent years have seen it climb the charts in England and Wales, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium too, likely owing to its religious significance, but also to the way it works in multiple languages.