This is an Islamic name and surname. Islamic names are of great complexity, and because of the transliteration systems which exists for Arabic, Persiian, Turkish, and Urdu, as well as the other numerous languages in the Middle East, spellings can vary considerably even for the same name. All Islamic names owe something to the Prophet Mohammed. The precise relationship between the bearer and the Prophet causing more status problems, than even those of class which have in the past created chasms in British society. In the case of this name its most famous bearer in the modern age is probably the international Pakistan cricketer Wassim Akram. This particular name owes much to being associated with one of the tribes or clans that claim direct descent from the Prophet Mohammed. In this case the clan is the 'Sayyid', whose descent was through Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet. Muslim names are hereditary, but unlike Western surnames have followed a quite different path, and only the coming of the telephone and hence the need for simple identication, has forced upon Muslin society the need for simple expression. In this case Akram is one of the superlatives used in the Sayyid clan to express relationship, and it is said by the Islamic Dictionary of Names to mean 'most noble'.