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{{Short description|Family name, Arabic term, and type of insignia}}
{{other uses}}
{{distinguish|Alum}}
{{wiktionary|Alam|alam|עולם|ع ل م|عالم}}

'''Alam''' is a masculine name derived from several ancient languages including :

# [[Arabic]]: {{lang|ar|عالم}} (''ʿĀlam'') meaning "world" or "universe"
# [[Hebrew]]: cognate word {{Script/Hebrew|עולם}} is transcribed as ''[[Olam (disambiguation)|Olam]]'' or [[Ulam (surname)|Ulam]], also meaning "World"
# [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]]: ''Alam'' means "Knowledge" (Wisdom). adjective ''maalam'', is referred to as the one who is knowledgeable and wise.
# [[Bengali language|Bengali]]: ''Alom'' means "the whole world; world".
# [[Malay language|Malay]]: ''Alam'' means "Field of interest", "nature", "realm", "world". Use "Ilmu alam" means "Natural Studies" or "Geography".
# [[Hindi language|Hindi]]: ''Alam'' means "the whole world; world".
# [[Urdu language|Urdu]]: ''Alam'' means "the whole world; world".

== Use in literature ==

Arabic literature and ancient texts use ''Alam'' in phrases like "Rab-ul-Alam-een" = "the Lord of all Worlds/Universes" referring to The Absolute and Highest Divinity.

In Hebrew, ''[[Olam (disambiguation)|Olam]]'' is used in phrases like "Adon Olam", meaning "Master of the World," one of the [[names of God in Judaism]].

== People ==
===Anzar===

====surname {{lang|ar|عالم}} ("world")====
* [[Intikhab Alam]] (born 1941), British Indian (Pakistani) cricketer
* [[Muhammad Mahmood Alam]] (1935–2013), Mr M. M. Alam, Pakistani Air Force officer who is famous for his world record in air-to-air combat
* [[Said Alam]], Pakistani pediatric surgeon and political activist

====Compound names====
* [[Alamgir (disambiguation)|Alamgir]]
* [[Badrul Alam (disambiguation)]]
* [[Jahangir Alam (disambiguation)]]
* [[Mahbubul Alam (disambiguation)]]
* [[Nurul Alam (disambiguation)]]
* [[Shamsul Alam (disambiguation)]]

====unidentified surnames transliterated as ''Alam''====
* [[Abdul Qadir Alam]], governor of Ghor Province, Afghanistan
* [[Abrar Alam]] (born 1996), Bangladeshi cricketer
*[[Mustafa Ali (wrestler)|Adeel Alam]] (born 1986), Pakistani-American wrestler better known by his ring name Mustafa Ali
* [[Aftab Alam (disambiguation)]], several
* [[Aftabuddin Alam]] (born 1993), Indian cricketer
* [[Ahmed Alam]] (born 1972), field hockey player
* [[Alexander Alam]] (1896–1983), Australian businessman, politician, and philanthropist
* [[Ali Alam]] (born 1977), Pakistani underground musician
* [[Amir-Hossein Khozeimé Alam]] (1919-2002), eldest son of Amir Ma'soum Khan Khozeiméh
* [[Ammad Alam]] (born 1998), Pakistani cricketer
* [[Arish Alam]] (born 1986), Indian cricketer
* [[Ashraful Alam]], Bangladeshi educationist and vice chancellor of Sylhet International University
* [[Ashraful Alom]] (born 1982), Bangladeshi media personality and politician
* [[Asadollah Alam]] (1919–1978), Iranian politician
* [[A.T.M. Zahirul Alam]] (born 1952), retired lieutenant general of Bangladesh Army
* [[Ava Alam]] (1947–1976), Bangladeshi singer and music teacher
* [[Badiul Alam]] (born 1949), Bangladeshi academic
* [[Didarul Alam]] (born 1968), Bangladesh Awami League politician
* [[Faisal Alam]] (born 1977), gay Pakistani American who founded the Al-Fatiha Foundation
* [[Fakrul Alam]] (born 1951), Bangladeshi academic, writer, and translator
* [[Fareena Alam]] (born 1978), English journalist and was editor
* [[Faria Alam]] (born 1966), Bangladeshi society figure and television personality
* [[Faruque Alam]] (1940-2020), Bangladeshi civil engineer and wood technologist
* [[Fawad Alam]] (born 1985), Pakistani cricketer and actor
* [[Fouad Salam Alam]] (born 1951), Egyptian volleyball player
* [[Ghulam Dastagir Alam]] (1933–2000), Pakistani theoretical physicist and professor
* [[Gulzar Alam]] (born 1959), Pashto singer
* [[Gurdas Ram Alam]] (1912–1989), Punjabi language poet
* [[Ikhfanul Alam]] (born 1984), Indonesian footballer
* [[Israfil Alam]] (born 1966), Bangladesh Awami League Politician
* [[Jafar Alam]] (born 1957), Bangladeshi politician
* [[Jahanara Alam]] (born 1993), Bangladeshi cricketer
* [[Javeed Alam]] (1943–2016), activist and thinker
* [[Johnny Alam]], Canadian researcher, visual artist, and curator
* [[Khorshed Alam]] (1935-2021), fifth Governor of Bangladesh Bank
* [[Khurshid Alam]] (born 1940s), Bangladeshi playback singer
* [[Leena Alam]] (born 1978)
* [[Sayful Alam]] (1934–1997), Bangladeshi politician and teacher
* [[M. Shahid Alam]], Pakistani economist, academic, and social scientist
* [[Mohammad Habibul Alam]], Vice-chairman of the World Scout Committee
* [[Mozaffar Alam]] (1882–1973), Iranian military and political figure
* [[Nawab Alam Yar Jung Bahadur]] (1890–1970), Indian politician
* [[Qasa Alom]], British-Bangladeshi journalist and presenter

===Given name===

====given name {{lang|ar|عالم}} ("world")====
* [[Alam Channa]] (1953–1998), son of Nasir Channa of Dhoke Kashmirian was the world's tallest living man at 232.4&nbsp;cm (7&nbsp;ft 7&nbsp;inch) high. During his life he had been billed at various heights of up to 7&nbsp;ft 6 while working at a circus
* [[Alam Lohar]] (1928–1979), prominent Punjabi folk music from the Punjab region of Pakistan, formerly British India. He is credited with popularising the musical term Jugni
* [[Alom Shaha]] (born 1973), British-Bangladeshi teacher, writer and filmmaker

====unidentified given names transliterated as ''Alam''====
* [[Alam al-Din al-Hanafi]] (1178–1251), Egyptian mathematician, astronomer and engineer
* [[Alam al-Malika]] (died 1130), leader of Zubayd in Yemen
* [[Alam Dad Lalika]] (born 1987), Pakistani politician
* [[Alam Khan (actor)]], Indian actor, model, and dancer
* [[Alam Khan (composer)]], Bangladeshi composer and music director
* [[Alam Khattak]], Pakistani army general
* [[Alam Gul Kuchi]], Afghan politician
* [[Alam Mir]] (born 1944)
* [[Alam Muzaffarnagari]] (1901–1969), pseudonym of  Muhammad Ishaaq, Indian poet
* [[Alam Shah]], the fourth and last ruler of the Sayyid dynasty
* [[Alam Zeb (athlete)]] (born 1930), Pakistani middle-distance runner

===Fictional characters===
* ''[[Alam Ara]]'', eponymous protagonist of a 1931 film directed by Ardeshir Irani,  the first Indian sound film

==See also==
* [[Alama]], a given name and surname
* [[Alamabad (disambiguation)]]
* [[Alamal (disambiguation)]] (''al-amal'' "hope" or ''al-ʿamal'' "work")
* {{look from}}
* {{in title}}

{{given name|type=both}}

[[Category:Arabic-language surnames]]
[[Category:Urdu-language surnames]]