Muawiyah is an Arabic word for boys that literally means âone who howlsâ, from the root AIN-W-A (âto howlâ), and it refers to female dogs and the cubs of foxes, lions, and other animals. Muawiyah was the name of the founder of the Omayyad empire, the Sahabi Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan. It is not a Quranic name but Muslims can use since it existed during the time of the Prophet ï·ș and he didnât ask the name to be changed (like he changed those names that he found unacceptable).