Boy · Arabic · Muslim
Atif
عاطفSay it AA-tif
- Meaning today
- Affectionate, sympathetic
- Original meaning
- "affectionate, kind; one who inclines towards others" Lane, p. 2080–2081
- Say it
- AA-tif
- Written
- عاطف
- Other spellings
- Aatif
Atif
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Atif meaning
Atif (عاطف) is a Muslim boy's name of Arabic origin.
Affectionate, kind; one who inclines towards others
Also used to mean: sympathetic
Atif (عاطف) is the Arabic ʿāṭif, from ʿaṭafa, whose first sense is "to bend, to incline". Lane's lexicon explains that with ʿalā, "towards", the verb means to be favourably inclined to someone, affectionate or kind, to treat them with pity and compassion; the related noun ʿāṭifa means affection or kindness. Lane's entry for ʿāṭif itself describes a gazelle bending its neck as it lies, but he also lists ʿāṭif with ʿaṭūf, a bestower of favours, good in disposition. Name lists give Atif as "affectionate" or "sympathetic". The singer Atif Aslam is a well-known bearer.
Source: Lane, An Arabic–English Lexicon (1863–93), Book I, Part 5, p. 2080–2081 · entry ʿāṭif (عَاطِفٌ), root ʿ-ṭ-f · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Lane, Arabic–English Lexicon, ʿaṭafa, ʿāṭif, ʿaṭūf, Book I p. 2080–2081 · Wikipedia, Atif Aslam
Famous namesakes
- Atif Aslam, Pakistani singer
Spellings
Atif · Aatif