Waheeda

Waheeda is an alternate transcription of Arabic وحيدة or Urdu وحیدہ, derived from the masculine Wahid (or Waheed in Urdu). The name means “peerless, unique” and in Islamic tradition, al-Waḥīd is one of the 99 names of Allah, emphasizing God’s uniqueness.

Cultural and Linguistic Context

Waheeda is used primarily in Arabic-speaking and Urdu-speaking communities. In Turkish, the cognate form is Vahide. The name is the feminine equivalent of Wahid/Waheed, and while less common than its masculine counterpart, it carries the same profound spiritual significance.

Notable Bearers

Notable individuals with this name include Waheeda Rehman (born 1938), a legendary Indian actress known for her work in Hindi cinema, and Waheeda Naseem (1927–1996), a Pakistani novelist and writer. In modern contexts, the name appears among activists such as Wahida Amiri, an Afghan librarian and women's rights advocate, and journalists like Wahida Faizi. Interestingly, Palestinian women's rights activist Wahida al-Khalidi also bore the name.

Related Names

• Meaning: “peerless, unique”
• Origin: Arabic, Urdu
• Gender: Feminine
• Common in: Arabic-speaking countries, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh
• Related forms: Wahida (Arabic), Vahide (Turkish)