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In Morocco her name is more likely drawn from the Arabic Nadya 'moist with dew' from Nada 'morning dew/to be moist with morning dew' or 'generosity/to be generous'. Understandably, in desert climes, moisture and morning dew are much appreciated. Because of the similarity of form, the Arabic Nadya and the Russian Nadia are often confused, especially with the possibility in modern times of the borrowing from the Russian language given their rather glamourous presence in the Middle East (in Egypt the belly dancers often take stage names like Russia, Odessa, etc. - threw me for a loop too ;o)

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Devon