ʿAdnān is the name of the legendary ancestor of the so-called North Arab tribes. According to Arab genealogy, every Arab tribe belongs to either the northern or the southern Arabs. The ancestors of these two divisions, respectively, are ʿAdnān and Qaḥṭān. While both branches claimed tribal affiliation by descent from their respective ancestors, the southern tribes are usually called "Yaman," a geographical name, which points to stronger local bonds. In contrast, the northern tribes use the name of a common progenitor. Although ʿAdnān is at the head of their