Siddiqis in the Horn of Africa Siddiqis in the Horn of Africa Siddiqi () is a Muslim family name, found in the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Sheikh is an additional title used occasionally by Siddiqis to signify noble Arab heritage. According to tradition, people having surname "Siddiqi" are offspring of Abu Bakr Siddique (), the first Khalifa (Caliph) and an early companion and friend of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. People claiming Siddiqi descent can be found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia. However, representatives in these countries are not referred to as Siddiqi, but are instead known by various local names.
Horn of Africa as የአፍሪካ ቀንድ yäafrika qänd in Amharic, القرن الأفريقي‎ al-qarn al-'afrīqī in Arabic, Gaaffaa Afriikaa in Oromo and ቀርኒ ኣፍሪቃ in Tigrinya. The Horn of Africa is sometimes shortened to "HOA". The Horn of Africa is quite commonly designated simply the "Horn", while inhabitants are sometimes colloquially referred to as "Horn Africans". Sometimes the term "Greater Horn of Africa" is used, either to be inclusive of neighbouring northeast African countries, or to distinguish the broader geopolitical definition of the Horn of Africa from narrower peninsular definitions. Ancient Greeks and Romans referred to the Somali peninsula as Regio Aromatica or Regio