The name Saboor is an Arabic name that comes from the word “Sabr” which means patience. This name means to be forbearing, long-suffering and having endurance under hardship.

It is used for both masculine and feminine genders and has several variants. There are many examples in the Quran and authentic Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The believers have been ordered with this type of enduring patience. Allah says,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اصْبِرُوا وَصَابِرُوا وَرَابِطُوا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

O you who have believed, persevere, and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful. {3:200}

The believers’ success in this world and the Hereafter has been tied into their ability to patiently endure the trials of this life.

With patience having such a great reward, Allah left us with a wonderful example in the story of Yusuf, may Allah be pleased with him. Ya’qoob, his father, and Yusuf exercised long-forbearing patience.

From Ya’qoob’s part, he had to be patient with the plot his sons executed on Yusuf. He did not know the details of what happened, but he knew that their story was a lie because he too was a Prophet and knew that Yusuf’s dream had not been fulfilled.

However, he made du’a to Allah concerning his sadness over his son and the uncertainty of what had happened to him. Allah says,

وَجَاءُوا عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ ۚ قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ۖفَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ ۖ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ – 12:18

And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, “Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe.”

And Ya’qoob, may peace be upon him, was patient for many years. Some scholars say that the time between his disappearance and reunion with his father was 85 years!

As for the patience of Yusuf, peace be upon him, he had to be patient with all the abuse from his brothers and the trials and tribulations he experienced living in Egypt. But once reunited with his brothers, held no malice for them and exclaimed that Allah does not allow the loss of reward for those who are patient. He says,

قَالُوا أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنتَ يُوسُفُ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَا أَخِي ۖ قَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّهُ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ – 12:90

They said, “Are you indeed Joseph?” He said “I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.”

Parents who choose this name do so hoping that this child will have long-suffering patience for the things he/she experiences in this life and that this patience will help him in being rewarded with Paradise.

Variants of the Name

Boys Names

Saboor (صَبُور) – is an enduring, forbearing male child who shows a lot of perseverance to things.

Saabir (صَابِر) – is a male child who is patient, endure and forebear.

Sabri (صَبْرِي) – is a male child who is ascribed to patience, endurance, and forbearance.

Girls Names

Saabirah (صَابِرَة) – is a female child who is patient, endure and forebear.

Sabriyyah (صَبْرِيَة) – is a female child who is ascribed to patience, endurance, and forbearance.