Anwar (or Anwer, Anwaar, Anouar, Anvar, Enver) is the English transliteration of two Arabic names commonly used in the Arab world by both Arab Christians and Muslims: the male given name ʼAnwar (أنور), meaning "luminous" or the female given name ʼAnwār (أنوار), meaning "a collection of lights". In Arabic Anwar is also a comparative adjective with the meaning of "more enlightened".^[1]

Both variations may also be encountered as surnames, sometimes also with the accompanying "al" (the definite article "the") as in Al Anwar.

In Francophone countries, both names are usually transliterated as Anoir, Anouar and Al Anouar with the definite article "al". The name is transliterated in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Turkey as Enver.

Notable people with the name Anwar and variants include:

People with the given name

People with the surname

Fictional characters with the given name

• Anwar Kharral, character in the British drama series Skins
• Anwar Ibrahim, character in the science-fiction novel series The Familiar by Mark Z. Danielewski
• Anwar, a cat marionette in ITV Meridian children's TV show The Ark
• Suvi Anwar, a character in the science-fiction video game Mass Effect: Andromeda
• Anwar, character in the British comedy-drama series Sex Education

See also

• Ordre du Nichan El-Anouar, a colonial order of merit of the Tajurah sultanate in French Somaliland
• Anvar
• Enver

References