(Sorry if this has been answered before. Searching on Osama-whatever is understandably providing a zillion useless hits)
What does Osama Bin Ladin’s name mean, if anything? Is the ‘bin’ a filial (is that the word?) description, e.g. “Osama, son of Ladin” ? Is this his birth name, or one taken later?
Just found this: His real name is apparently “Osama bin Mohammed bin Avad bin Laden” and he is the son of Mohammed bin Laden (which I guess blows my ‘bin’ == ‘son of’ theory), and he was the 17th of 52 children (!)
So what the heck does ‘bin’ and the rest of his name mean?
“Bin”, “Ben”, etc., means “son of”.
So does “M(a)c”, as in M(a)cDonald, M(a)cHenry, etc. Not everyone with those names are the sons of Donald, Henry, etc. Some of them aren’t even sons.
I heard he was 1 of 20. Of course, that could be 20 children with the same mother or 1 of 20 sons. Or it could mean my ears need de-waxing.
It means he’s Osama, who’s the son of Mohammed, who is the son of Avad, who is the son of Laden.
Osama is an Arabic name meaning “lion”
Thanks, Captain Amazing.
Its interesting that his given name, “Osama bin Mohammed bin Avad bin Laden”, becomes “Osama bin Laden” in the press. Is it normal to use your great-grandfather’s name as a surname in OBL’s circles? Would his son, Bob become “Bob bin Avad” for short? Or is the press totally messing up Osama bin Laden’s name, and he doesn’t call himself that?
They do it just to irritate him.
And about my above post he is one of 24 sons.
It’s more that last names are kind of unusual among Saudis. You’ll find a lot of people referred to as “bin”, “ibn” (both meaning son), “bint” (daugher), or “abu” (father).
Well, I’d call him worse, personally. I was just curious about how Saudi names work.
Then apparently there were also 28 daughters in the family.
cite. Obviously a plural marriage of some sort.
If he is the 17th of 52 children or even 1 in 20 children, then “bin” must mean can’t keep zipper up. 
Not to be crass, but maybe we wouldn’t be having these problems with him if Mohammed named him the “lamb” instead.
Small action…big effect…chaos theory?
Or, “father is a rich sod in a society which allows plural marriage”, which is, in fact, the case.
Interesting that the British would pick up “bint” to use as a derogatory term.
I just knew that when he said he had nothing to do with the attacks that has was lion 
What does osama bin laden mean?
It means “I’m a pussy wimp cowardly terrorist because I can’t fight like a man”
On behalf of the Straight Dope Community I would like to thank you for your lucid and thoughtful response.
Re Phobos’ observation of small causes having big effects, an interesting parallel would be Adolf Hitler.
Had Adolf’s father not changed the family name from Schicklgruber, then his deplorable impact on history may have been rather less severe than it was.
It is very difficult to imagine legions of Nazis rallying to the cry of ‘Heil Schicklgruber’.
No, I’m pretty sure Osama comes from the word for lion. Of course, if you have a cite to show otherwise…
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*Originally posted by friedo *
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You’re more than welcome my good man. I was going to use the “Live and Let Die” line from Mr Big, “names are for tombstones baby, go out and waste this sucker”.
This reminds me of a short story I read once upon a time entitled “Sen Yen Babbo and the Heavenly Host.” It was about a televangelically professional wrestling circuit where all the good guys are named after saints and all the bad guys are named after evil personages.
When one of the bad guys dies unexpectedly, the promoters rope a big ugly foreigner into their scheme to take his place, and he introduces himself as Sen Yen Babbo.
When they ask him what his name means, he says “It means me.”
I think his son would be known as Bob bin Laden because Osama’s father is known as bin Laden (can’t remember his first name).