Zainab (also spelt Zaeneb, Zaynab, Zainub, Zeineb, Zenab, Zeynab, Zeyneb, Zeynep, Zejneb, Zejneba or Zeynib; Arabic: زينب, ) is an Arabic female given name meaning "desert flower" or "ornamented tree". It is believed to be a modification of Zenobia, the name of a pre-Islam Syrian queen.
"Zeineb", "Zejneb" and "Zejneba" are also Bosnian female given names, transliterated from the Arabic "Zainab".
Famous people called Zaynab include:
- Zaynab bint Ali, daughter of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the sister of Husayn ibn Ali.
- Zaynab bint Khuzayma, a wife of Muhammad.
- Zaynab bint Jahsh, a wife of Muhammad.
- Zaynab bint Muhammad, daughter of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid and Muhammad.
- Zaynab an-Nafzawiyyat, an influential figure in the Almoravid movement.
- Zainab Masood, a character in the British TV soap opera EastEnders.