Choosing a good name for a Muslim child is very important. A person's name says something about him/her. Basically most names are allowed in Islaam but there are some names that are forbidden. There are also names that are recommended. We will go them through with examples of each.
Forbidden names:
*which contain enslavement or worship of anything else than Allaah. Examples of such (forbidden) names are: 'Abd ar-Rasool (servant/slave of the Messenger), 'Abd al-Nabi (servant/slave of the Prophet), 'Abd al-Maseeh (servant/slave of the Messiah)
*which are
befitting only for Allaah Alone; for example ar-Rahmaan (The Most
Merciful), al-Khaaliq (the Creator). “Do
you know of any who is similar to Him?” [Maryam19:65].
*Names of idols and false gods.
See also for
related information:
Changing
One's Name After Accepting Islaam
The Name "Ashiq-Allaah"
Disliked names:
The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) asked: "What is your name?"
He replied: "Hazn." (rugged) He (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:
"You are Sahl (smooth)." [Abu Dawud]
Zainab's original name was "Barrah" but it was said: "By that she is
giving herself the prestige of piety." So the Prophet (sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam) changed her name to Zainab. [Al-Bukhaari]
"Do not call your boy Yasar, not Rabah, nor Najeeh, nor Aflah,
since you will say: 'Is he there?' So it will be
said: 'No'. Indeed they are four so do not attribute more to me."
[Muslim, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi]
It is makrooh (disliked) to give name which is added to the words
"al-Deen", "al-Islaam". Example of such name is Noor al-Deen
(light of the religion). These names are exaggerating.
Imaam an-Nawawi and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allaah have mercy upon
them) both disliked such nicknames that were given to them.
It is makrooh to name after the soorahs of the Quraan. Examples: Ta-Ha,
Yaa-Seen. These are not names of the Prophet. Ibn al-Qayyim
(may Allaah have mercy upon him) has said: "The saying of the common
people that Yaa-Seen and Ta-Ha are from the names of the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is not correct, there is no saheeh
hadeeth about it or any hasan hadeeth, nor any mursal , nor any
narration from any Companion, but rather they are letters
like 'Alif Laam Meem', 'Ha Meem', 'Alif Laam Raa' and the like."
Recommended Names
"The most
beloved names to Allaah are 'Abd-Allaah
(servant/slave of Allaah) and
'Abd al-Rahmaan (servant/slave of the Most
Merciful). " [Muslim]
Other names that signify the enslavement to Allaah such as:
'Abd al-Raheem, 'Abd al-Salaam, 'Abd al-Haleem.. etc.
Names of Prophets and Messengers:
*Adam, Idrees, Nooh, Hood, Saalih, Ibraaheem, Ishmael, Yaqub, Shu'aib,
Yusuf, Ayyoob, Yunus, Moosa, Haroon, Elyas, Dawud, Sulaymaan,
Zakariyah, Yahya, 'Eesa, Muhammad,
Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)
Examples:
*boys: Abbad, Abu Bakr, Adiyy, 'Ali, Amr, Fayruz, 'Umar,
'Umayr, 'Uthmaan, Utbah, Jafar, Habib, Hakim, Hudhayfah,
Ikrimah, Julaybib, Khabbab, Mu'adh, Musab, Nuaym,
Rabiah, Sad, Said, Salim, Suhayb, Suhayl, Talhah, Thabit,
Thumamah, Uqbah, Zayd
*girls:, Rumaysa, Sumaiyah, Barakah
For girls, the names of the wives and daughters of Prophet Muhammad
(sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam):
*Khadija, Sawda, 'Aaishah, Hafsa, Zainab, Hind, Juwairiyya, Ramla,
Safiyyah, Maymoonah, Fatimah
Related Links:
Read biographies of the
Companions
Great Women of Islam
Golden Series of the
Prophets Companions
