According to the Bedouin of the area, however the name "Dahab" has a different origin. When the Bedouin people came there they called it "waqaat thahaab" (وقت ذهب) which translates literally to "Time Goes". This name derived from the fact that when you were there, you could easily lose track of time as the days would begin to run together. The name was then shortened to "Thahaab" (ذهب) but misunderstood by travelers who thought they were saying Dahab.