Nidal

Often associated with ‘struggle’ or ‘effort’, sometimes in the sense of ‘advocacy’.

Nidal is a name used in Arabic-speaking contexts and in families with Arabic cultural roots. In everyday Latin-script use, it’s typically written as Nidal and tends to be read as a straightforward two-syllable name. The name is linked to Arabic نضال (and you may see it vowelled as نِضال in contexts that add diacritics). In many explanations, it’s associated with ideas of struggle, striving, or sustained effort; in some modern contexts it can also be understood in a broader sense of advocacy or perseverance. Pronunciation is often approximated in English as nee-DAHL, with stress on the second syllable. A practical tip is to note that the first vowel may be closer to ‘ni’ or ‘ne’ depending on the speaker’s background, so confirming the preferred pronunciation is helpful.

Etymology: From Arabic نضال (sometimes vowelled نِضال), a word used with meanings around struggle, striving, or effort.