E90 - Episode 88: A journey through the emirates, name by name

In this episode of Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews trace back the origins of the seven emirates, and how they got their names.

Drawing from both official records and local narratives, they look at the connection between human activity and geography that shaped each emirate. Abu Dhabi for example derives its meaning from accounts of early settlers following a gazelle to fresh water. As for Dubai, popular theories suggest that the name stems from daba, meaning “to flow slowly” – probably a reference to the movement of vessels.

The hosts also share some of the...