A name across languages

Imran is used in Arabic, Urdu and Punjabi as well as other languages, according to a name reference. It records عمران in Arabic script and connects the name with the biblical name Amram. Roman spellings vary; a search may encounter Imran or Imraan. Such references explain linguistic relationships, but they do not determine a person’s ethnicity or explain a family’s individual choice. Ask the person or consult contemporary documents before changing the spelling of their name.[1]

A Quranic association

The third chapter of the Quran is known as Āl ʿImrān, the family of Imran. In verses 3:35–36, the wife of Imran dedicates her unborn child and names her Maryam. A translation is one way into the passage; interpretations and transliterations vary, so readers may wish to compare the Arabic and translations. The existence of a scriptural association does not mean that every person named Imran has the same religious practice or that their family selected the name for one particular reason.[2]

An example connected to Lahore

The Pakistan Cricket Board identifies Imran Khan Niazi as a Pakistan cricketer who played Test cricket from 1971 and captained the team that won the 1992 World Cup. A contemporary profile identifies Lahore as his birthplace and describes his family as Pashtun. Those are separate facts: being born in a Punjabi city does not automatically establish Punjabi ethnicity. His public career illustrates one bearer’s name in a place connected to this site’s history; it is not evidence about the ancestry or beliefs of others named Imran.[3][4]

Names and records

The name reference lists several language communities in which Imran appears, which is a reminder that names cross borders. In research, record whether a spelling comes from a birth record, a published profile or an English translation. Those documents answer different questions. A person’s own preferred name is the best guide when describing them today.[1]

Sources & notes

Source records include access dates and, where known, limits on what was examined. Checks used AI assistance; independent human or specialist review has not been completed.

  1. Behind the Name. Imran ↗Written source · Source date: publication date not established · Entry updated: 2025-12-23 · Locator: Usage, Scripts and Meaning & History. Accessed 2026-11-04.The entry records usage across several languages and connects Imran to Amram; it cannot determine an individual bearer’s identity.Return to A name across languages, paragraph 1 ↑Return to Names and records, paragraph 1 ↑
  2. Quran.com. Surah Ali ’Imran, verses 35–37 ↗Written source · Source date: publication date not established · Locator: Verses 3:35–36 and displayed English translation. Accessed 2026-11-03.The Arabic and displayed translation were consulted; the article paraphrases the passage and does not claim to represent every interpretation.Return to A Quranic association, paragraph 1 ↑
  3. Pakistan Cricket Board. Imran Khan ↗Written source · Source date: publication date not established · Locator: Player profile: Test debut and 1992 World Cup. Accessed 2026-11-03.Relevant profile text was checked through an indexed record; direct access returned HTTP 403.Return to An example connected to Lahore, paragraph 1 ↑
  4. Charlie Campbell, TIME. Exclusive: Imran Khan on His Plan to Return to Power ↗Written source · Source date: 2023-04-04 · Locator: Biographical paragraph beginning with his birth in Lahore. Accessed 2026-11-03.The biographical paragraph was checked in the article text; the page also displayed unrelated sponsored material.Return to An example connected to Lahore, paragraph 1 ↑
Help improve this entry. Suggest a correction with a source. · Read recorded changes
Record PH-NAM-0119 · English edition · human review not performed