Khadija is an Arabic name meaning 'premature child' and is revered through the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad.
Khadija is an Arabic name of great dignity and historical depth. It is traditionally understood to mean “premature child” or “born early,” derived from the Arabic root kh-d-j, but its emotional and cultural meaning far exceeds its literal origin. In Arabic naming tradition, many names with humble or concrete beginnings came to gather honor through the lives of those who bore them, and Khadija is one of the clearest examples.
The name is usually rendered in English as Khadija, though spellings such as Khadijah, Kadija, and Hatice appear across different languages and regions. Its central historical bearer is Khadija bint Khuwaylid, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the most revered women in Islamic history. She was a successful merchant of Mecca, celebrated for intelligence, moral strength, loyalty, and faith.
As the first person to accept Muhammad’s message, she occupies a foundational place in Islamic memory. Because of her, the name Khadija came to signify not merely an individual woman but an ideal of wisdom, devotion, and resilience. Across the Muslim world, from the Arab world to South Asia, Africa, Turkey, and beyond, the name has endured for centuries as an honored choice.
In literary and cultural terms, Khadija carries a stately, classical quality, though it remains warmly familiar in many communities. Its perception has evolved little in its core values: it still evokes respectability, faith, and strength. What has changed is its global visibility.
As Muslim names have become more audible in Western public life, Khadija is increasingly recognized outside its original linguistic setting. It remains one of those rare names whose beauty is inseparable from the history it carries.