Islamic Guidelines for Choosing Names

Happy babyReprinted from IslamOnline.net, Ask the Scholar

Date: 18/Apr/2001

Name of Mufti: Yusuf Al-Qaradawi

Topic: Islamic Guidelines for Choosing Names

Name of Questioner: Shazia from Pakistan

Question: As-Salamu `alaykum, could you please shed light on the Islamic guidelines in choosing names? In other words, what are the criteria to be followed by Muslim in choosing names?

Answer:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister in Islam, we commend your keenness on getting your self well-acquainted with Islam and its teachings, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.

Islam emphasizes that Muslims should have good names and give good names to their children. It is reported in a hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “You will be called on the Day of Resurrection by your names and the names of your fathers, so have good names.” (Reported by Abu Dawud)

In the choice of names, we should follow certain guidelines as illustrated in the following fatwa issued by the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi:

“Islam does not oblige Muslims to choose specific names, Arab or non-Arab names, for their children, whether males or females. It is rather up to people to decide which names they would like to choose for their children.

However, selecting names should be pursuant to some Islamic rules:

1- To be a good name that is neither detestable by people nor to be rejected by the child himself, when he grows up. Such detestable names are like those which bear the meaning of bad omen, evil connotations, names of people known for their oppression and excessiveness, and so on. In this regard, we find that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to change bad names into good ones. For example, he changed the name of someone from “Qalilah” (A few) into “Kathirah” (A lot), and the name of another from “`Aasiyah” (Sinner) into “Jamilah” (Beautiful), and so on.

2- A Muslim should not call his son names such as, “`Abdul-Ka`abah”, “`Abdun-Nabi”, “`Abdul-Hussayn”, and such names that implies `Ubudiyyah (servitude) to others than Allah. Ibn Hazm said that naming children with names as such is, according to the consensus of Muslim scholars, prohibited, except the name of “`Abdul-Muttalib”.

3- A Muslim should not choose names that give an impression of pomposity and vainglory. This is supported by the hadith that reads, “The most detestable name for Allah in the Hereafter is that of a man who calls himself “King of All Kings”, for Allah is the Lord of the Kings.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and At-Tirmidhi)

Muslims are also forbidden to name their children after the Finest Names of Allah, such as “Ar-Rahman (the Gracious), Al-Khalik (the Creator), etc.

It is also prohibited to use the Attributes of Allah with a definite article, such as “Al-`Aziz” (the All-Powerful) and “Al-Hakim” (the Most-Wise), as names. But they may be used without a definite article, e.g. “`Aziz” and “Hakim”.

4- It is a commendable thing to call children after the Prophets and righteous people, to keep them in memory, so as to take them as a guide and follow in their footsteps.

The best of such names are the names that show man’s humility before his Lord, as indicated by the hadith that reads, “The best names in Allah’s Sight are `Abdullah and `Abdur-Rahman.” (Reported by Muslim, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah)

The same applies to names that consist of two parts, of which the first “`Abd” and the second is one of the Finest Names of Allah, such as “`Abdul-`Alim”.

5- As for non-Arab names, there is nothing wrong in using them as names, so long as they bear good meanings in their language. Although the early Muslims were purely Arabs living in a pure Arab atmosphere, they found no harm in non-Arab names, as regards men and women. For example, “Mareyah” (the Mother of the Believers) who gave birth to Ibrahim, the son of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was known for her Coptic name.

Also, most of the names of early believers were linguistically names of plants, such as “Talhah”, “Salamah”, “Hanzalah”; names of animals and birds, such as “Asad”, “Saqr”; names of objects and parts of nature, like “Bahr”, “Jabal”; adjectives used as names, like “`Amir”, “Salim”; names of previous Prophets and righteous people, e.g. “Ibrahim” and “Yusuf”.

Thus, a Muslim should take into consideration such restrictions while choosing names for their children.”

************************************

Added Note: Muslim names are NOT chosen according to the date or time of birth.

Choosing names according to the date or the time of birth is a form of astrology or numerology. It is a type of shirk – associating partners with Allah. It is a custom which some Muslims of the Indian subcontinent have borrowed from other religions. It has no basis in Islam.

Allah said in the Quran, “Say: ‘None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghayb (Unseen) except Allah.” (Surat al-Naml 27:65)

Saheeh Muslim has narrated, on the authority of one of the wives of the Prophet (Hafsah – may Allah be pleased with her), that Allah’s Prophet (sws) said:

“Whoever went to a fortune-teller and asked him about some matter (i.e. of the unseen) and believed him, will have his prayer rejected for forty days.”

Imam Ibn Taymiyah said: “Astrology that is concerned with studying the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs is prohibited by Almighty Allah’s Book, the Sunnah, and the unanimous agreement of the Muslim scholars. Furthermore, astrology was considered forbidden by all Messengers of Almighty Allah.”

The great scholar, Ibn `Uthaymeen, said: “Astrology is a kind of sorcery and fortune-telling. It is forbidden because it is based on illusions, not on concrete facts. There is no relation between the movements of celestial bodies and what takes place on the Earth.”

Before the advent of Islam, people would think that the sun and moon might eclipse when a great figure died. During the Prophet’s lifetime, it happened that the sun eclipsed on the same day when the Prophet’s son Ibrahim died. The people then thought that it had eclipsed because of the Prophet’s son’s death. On knowing this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in the Eclipse Prayer and then delivered them a speech saying: “The sun and moon are but signs of Allah; they do not eclipse because so-and-so died or was born.”

This hadith indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) denied all relation between the movements of the heavenly bodies and events on the Earth. Besides, people who believe in the prophecies of astrologists are easily exposed to a labyrinth of illusions, pessimism, and psychological problems.

How Do Muslims Choose Names?

Muslims can choose any name with a good meaning. Good sources for names are the Quran (for example names of the Prophets), names of the Sahabah, and names of great figures from Islamic history. And of course, “Abd” followed by any of the 99 names of Allah, such as AbdulRahman, AbdulAzeez, etc.

There is also nothing wrong with choosing a name to honor someone you love, such as an ancestor, family member or friend.

Wael Abdelgawad
Zawaj.com Editor

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Islamic Names

201 Comments

  1. assalakum
    i was blessed with the baby boy on 5th september 2011 at 3.33 p.m now please suggest the easy and good names for my son
    thank
    regards

  2. Salamualaikum,

    I willing to put a good and meaningfulname for my daughter, shw was born in 2010,september 10. at 5:12PM (friday) Kindly suggest a good name for my daughter. Thanks.

  3. My daughter’s name is Esha Faisal & she was born on 9 Nov 2006. Is is the right name?

    • As-salamu alaykum Faisal. We Muslims do not base choices on numerology or astrology as the Hindus do. Such practices are shirk. I am not familiar with the name Esha – is a variation of Aishah? In any case, if you like it, and it has a good meaning for you, and it suits your daughter, then it is the right name.

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  4. Assalam -o- Alaikum,
    i have a query regarding my daughter’s name. she was born on 17th march, 2009. I named her ‘maheen (moon in persian language)’ as her name.
    but recently, while reciting Quran i read the word maheen in sura zakhraf 43-52.
    according to the ayat, maheen means insignificant / disgraced in arabic.
    now i want to change her name but this time i want to be 100% sure… can u pls suggest some good and islamic names from quran.
    i also want to know the meaning of the following names:
    anabia, umme-abeeha, az-zahra

    • Erum, wa alaykum as-salam. Please visit this page:

      A complete guide to Muslim names

      Check the various links at the bottom of that page for suggestions.

      I do not know the name anabia. Maybe you are thinking of Inabiyah, which means “one who turns to Allah”.

      See here for umm-abeeha. I do not recommend it as a name.

      Az-Zahra was a title given by Muslims to Fatima, the daughter of Rasulullah (sws). It means, “the shining one”.

      Really, if you want to name your child after Fatima, then I recommend simply naming her Fatima, rather than any of the associated nicknames or titles.

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  5. on 11 October 2014. Allahhas blessed us with a baby boy. Now.ive select his name as “Muhammad Arham Elahi”
    Kindly advice about this name whether it is right or not

    • It seems like a fine name, but who is Arham? Normally the middle name would be the father’s name.

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  6. assalam u alaikum!!! my name is bt mostly scholar say that erum is not an islamic name bcz its belong to qom e aadh whom was destroyed.. please guide me in this matter and if its not an islamic name then please suggest me a gud one jazakAllah u khairun

  7. my name is mahreen & my date of birth is 23 july 1984. i have many ups & down in life.kindly suggest a islamic dua for me

    • mahreen, your name and birth date are not related to the ups and downs in your life. We Muslims do not ascribe to Hindu-style numerology and astrology. In fact such ideas are shirk. Instead, we believe that events that happen from beyond our control are part of our Qadar, determined by Allah. And events within our free will are determined by our choices. Of course dua’ can influence our lives and outcomes.

      One of the most basic dua’ is, “Allahumma aatina fid-dunyaa hasanatan wa fil-aakhirati hasantan, wa qinaa adhaab an-nar.” O Allah, grant us good in the dunya, and good in the aakhirah, and protect us from the punishment of the fire.”

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  8. Sorry for above mistake.
    I want to ask
    What is the meaning of WAEL?
    Is it Islamic name?

    • “Wael” is an ancient Arabic name. It is derived from the word “awwal” meaning first. It can mean returning to the beginning, or returning to the original condition. I would not say it’s an Islamic name per se, but the meaning is not bad, and there were some sahabah with this name.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  9. my baby girl was born on 12/12/2014 please suggest me to islamic name

    • Gafur, names are not determined by birth dates. That is a Hindu custom based on numerology and astrology. You should choose any Islamic name that you like, whether one of the sahabah, something from the Quran, or the name of someone you admire.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  10. Assalamu Alaikum. . My name is mohamed safwan. Im blessed with a baby girl. We thought of naming her as maryam. What you think of that name… and can you please suggest the proper way of organizing her full name.. if need can u suggest some names to attach with maryam to make it beautiful… jazakumullah hairen

    • Maryam is of course a wonderful name as it was the name of one of the most righteous woman in history.

      In Islam we do not “attach” other names to a child’s name. The first name is the one you give, like Maryam. The second name – if you choose to give one – would be the father’s name, which in your case is Mohamed. And the last name is either the family name or the grandfather’s name. So your daughter’s name should be either Maryam Safwan, or Maryam Mohamed Safwan, or Maryam Mohamed *grandfather’s name*.

      If you insert another random name, like Maryam Khadija Safwan, then that implies that her mother’s name is Khadija and the father is not known (the child is illegitimate).

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  11. Aslam o alaikum. Im expecting my first child in march . And its a baby girl. I have selected 2 names for her ” yaminah ( bringer of blessing ) and nuwairah ( light and radiance ) .. Can you please suggest if these will be compatible names for her. Thank you

    • Javeria, wa alaykum as-salam. Those both seem like very nice names ma-sha-Allah. I think you should choose whichever one appeals to you most.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  12. Aslam o alaikum. My 2nd child born on 17 march 2015 . And its a baby girl. I have selected 2 names for her ” Fabiha and Shanzay Can you please suggest if these will be compatible names for her. Thank you

    • Asha, wa alaykum as-salam. I understand from this and your other comment that you are asking for a name recommendation based on your daughter’s birth date. This idea of choosing names or making life decisions based on birth dates comes from Hindu astrology and numerology. It is not a part of Islam. In fact, it is a kind of shirk. In Islam we choose names from the Quran, the Prophets, the Sahabah, the righteous men and women of history, Muslim heroes, etc.

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

      • Aslam o alaikum.Wael thanks for islamic pointview guide . so i m choose Islamic Arbic Name
        Abrish Meaning ( Allah ki Rhamat). I hope this name is fruitfull for my daughter and her life.

  13. Hi my son date of birth is 9 august and his name is mohid which mean (believe in one Allah). But I m very worried about his name.because my friend has too much knowledge about numerology and astrology. And she said his star is Leo and by name he is Leo too.she said these persons are rebelious by nature and very rigid and they do whatever they want either it is good or bad for them…plz reply me soon

    • Sister naveeda, numerology and astrology are false beliefs with no basis in reality. To believe in them is an act of shirk – associating partners with Allah. As Muslims we know and believe that our Qadar – our destiny – comes only from Allah. The Messenger of Allah (sws) said that whoever believes in the stars has disbelieved in Allah.

      Please ignore what your friend says. The “star sign” will not influence your son’s behavior or character in any way. His character will be determined by whatever natural disposition Allah has given him, in addition to the upbringing that you give him.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  14. Thank u so much sir.I m very satisfied with ur answer.just tell me mohid is good name?

    • Apparently it means, “one who believes in the Oneness of Allah.” So yes, it is a good name.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  15. assalamu alaikum
    my name is sobiya. i was born 12 june 1993. i want to change my name according to my birth date.plz suggest some good name for me.
    jazakallah.

  16. My birth date is 13 april 1985 my name is sumera is my name is right if not then sugest me names plz

  17. Asalam u alikum alikum
    My name is imtiyaz ahmad, i m blessed with baby girl can u suggest me a good arabic name as per her date of birth and time whichis 10/06/2015 time 3.17pm

    • sobiya, Sumera and imtiyaz: Names in Islam are NOT chosen according to the birth date, the star sign, or any other kind of astrology or numerology. That is a kind of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and it is a major sin. In Islam, we choose any name with a good meaning. Names can be chosen from the Quran, the names of the Prophets, names of the Sahabah, the wives of the Prophet (sws) or his daughters, or any good meaning.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  18. Asalam o alaikum Allah bless me a daughter my husband give her name Abrish irfan but i m not satisfy with this name please guide me is it islamic name and what is its meaning should i change her name? Or not.

  19. Aoa I have blessed a daughter on 1st shawal / 18 July 2015 7:15 pm.can you tell me some suitable names for her?
    Thanks

    • Suitable names are not determined in Islam by birthdates. Please choose any good name from the Quran, or the Sahabah, or any of the great Muslim figures.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  20. Asalam u alikum. my baby girl,s name is AIMEN GUL and her birth date is WEDNESDAY 3rd june 2015. and a renowned sufi (pir) advised me to change her name starting with letter B, your guidence please if possible with reference. jazakallah

    • Islam does not believe in changing names according to birth dates or star charts. That is all shirk, as it comes from numerology and astrology, both of which have no basis in Islam.

      The following is from an Islamweb.net fatwa:

      A Hadith recorded by Imam Muslim reads: “Whoever goes to a soothsayer and asks him about something, will lose the recompense of his prayers for forty days.”

      Moreover, if this visitor of the soothsayer believes his saying, the punishment will be: “A person who goes to a soothsayer and affirms the correctness of the soothsayer’s saying, will be considered a disbeliever in what was revealed to Muhammad.”

      Allah Says: “Say: ‘None in the heavens and the earth knows the Ghaib (unseen) except Allâh.'” Quran 27: 65

      And:

      “Say, ‘I do not know if what you are promised is near or if my Lord will grant for it a [long] period.’
      [He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone
      Except whom He has approved of messengers.”
      – Quran 72:25-27

      Another Hadith reads: “Whoever augers ill omen or the same thing is done on his behalf, predicts the happening of something, or the same is done on his behalf is not of us (Muslims).”

      Therefore, a Muslim is strongly required to avoid such things and to advise others in this concern if he wants to keep his faith safe.

      Allah knows best.

  21. Salamualaikum,

    I willing to put a good and meaningfull name for my daughter, she was born in 04th August 2015,. at 6:15AM (Tuesday) Kindly suggest a good name for my daughter. Thanks.

  22. Asalam O Alakum, My name is Khaliqur Rahman, I have blessed with baby girl on 14 Aug’15 @1.00 PM, I am thinking to choose YAFIAH RAHMAN, Appreciate your earliest advise.

    Many Thanks and Best Regards,
    Khaliqur

  23. Dear Sir,
    can you please tell me the quranic reference or name inabiyah where does it come in quran and what is its background

  24. assalakum
    i was blessed with the baby girl on 20 august 2015 at 4:50 a.m now please suggest the easy and good names for my daughter
    thanks

    regards

  25. plz suggest name
    or name start word

    Girl
    DOB 20 aug 2015
    11:20 am

  26. Assalaam alikum Mufti saheb

    Alhamdulilla I am bless with a girl. I want to name my daughter, I open the Quran and the letter i got is Aleef hence i want to name by daughter with the Letter A. Request you to suggest me the best name from the below names and there meaning, 1.Aleena 2.Aaira 3.Abrish 4.Arsheen 5.Aabish 6.Aazeen

  27. Asslam o alaikum.

    i have 2 babies. first “Muhammad Osaid”(small lion) and second “Abrish Fatima”(ALLAH PAK ki Rehmat). Can you please suggest either these names are good in islamic point of view specially in case of Abrish meaning.

  28. Assalam.o.alaikum my baby Will be expected on 19 october 2015 InshAllah kindly suggest a letter for her according to islamic date. Thanks

  29. allah bless me a baby boy
    may i give him name muhammad

  30. I need your. Help
    My. Cousin. Was. Born on. 6. September. 2015. At. 2:00 plz. Suggest. Some girl.
    names. Plzzzzz

  31. Asalm o alikum

    Allah blessed me a daughtr on 6 march 2015 n her

    Name is UMME HANI . Somebody said change her name coz its nt suits her,n she will not well until she changes her name m so worry please guide me.

    Bt m sure its a very gud name fr her.

  32. Assalam u Alaikum,

    My daughter was born on 03.02.2015 & her name called by all as Aaira but she is suffering & crying all the time. Now, I decided to change her name may be she get good health. I am requesting you to please advise me her Islamic name which will suite her.

    Date of Birth : 03.02.2015
    Day : Tuesday
    Time : 09:17am

    I am waiting for your advise in the light of Islamic Research.

    Regards,
    Rashid

    • Changing her name will not have any effect on her health or wellbeing. Neither does her birthdate have any effect. Such ideas are based in Hindu numerology and astrology.

      1. Take your daughter to see a physician. 2. Make dua’ to Allah. 3. Be patient. The first year can be difficult for some babies, but often the crying slows down after some time.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  33. I have thought a name

    Zurwa-from surah zariyat .para no.26

    Meaning
    bulandi, buzurgi,

    for my expected daughter. probably she will be in this world In Sha Allah in few days.
    What u suggest ? Is it right name n may help in hr life successes?

    • Do you mean Surah 51? Adh-Dhariyat? I do not see any such word or name in ayah 26. Meaning of bulandi or buzurgi? And what do those words mean? I do not speak Urdu.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

      • Assalam o Alaikum
        yes
        i am talking about surah 51 Adh-Dhariyat… first ayet..

        Wadh-Dhariyat e Zurwa.

        Zurwa meaning is heightened hills/ flying….

        do u suggest this name?
        will it be suitable for my baby girl?for her success n life?

        • Ah, I see. To be honest, it seems like a strange name to me. Dharwa (or Zurwa as you spelled it) means scattering, dispersing. But if you like it, then by all means proceed. Please be aware that the choice of a name does not determine success in life. Success is based on character and hard work, as well as what Allah has decreed.

          Wael
          Zawaj.com Editor

  34. Sir I was blassed a boy baby on 18 sep 2015 time during 10 am to 11 am so please suggest a Islamic name for my baby
    Thank you

    • As I just said to someone else, suitable names are not determined in Islam by birthdates. That is a shirk concept that comes from astrology.

      Please choose any good name from the Quran, or the Sahabah, or any of the great Muslim figures.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  35. Meray betay ki date of birth 17 – 09 – 2011 hai us ka naam Muhammad Rafay Shafiq Butt hai wo aksar beemaar rehta hai buhat fussy aur hyper active aggressive ziddi hai kisi ki nai sunta kya us ko ye naam suit nahi kr rahA kya mje is ka naam change kr dena chahiye hum sub us ki waja se buhat tension main rehte hain agr naam change krna hai to naam b bta dein

  36. Salam

    My son was born on 24.05.2006 & his name called by all as Daniyal but he is suffering and health issues all the time. Now, I decided to change his name may be he get good health. So I am requesting you to please advise me his Islamic name which will suite him.

    Date of Birth : 24.05.2006
    Day : Wednesday
    Time : 07:30 pm around

    PIs also advise us better name from the following which I choosing:

    Muhammad Amaan
    Muhammad Huzaifah
    Muhammad Hammad
    Muhammad Ammar
    I am waiting for your advise in the light of Islamic Research.

    Regards,
    Muhammad Abid Siddiqui

  37. assalakum
    i was blessed with the baby girl on 6th november 2015 at 10:37 A.M now please suggest the easy and good names for my daughter

    thank
    regards

  38. assalakum
    i was blessed with the baby boy on 18th Nov 2015 at 9.24 p.m now please suggest the easy and good names for my son
    thank
    regards
    Tajamul Islam Bhat

  39. Sir I was blassed a boy baby on 11 Jan 2016 time during 16:00 so please suggest a Islamic name for my baby
    Thank you

  40. To all who are asking for naming advice based on the child’s birthdate or time of birth:

    Please read the full article and the advice I have already given to others! We Muslims do not choose names based on birthdates and times!!!

    Wael
    Zawaj.com Editor

  41. Please tell me the meaning of name “Abrish”. I kept it my daughter z name. I have heard its meaning” Allah ki rahmat”. Is this the right meaning? I have heard its Arabic name but I didn’t find it in any Arabic dictionary or any where. Kindly guide me.

  42. Assalakum
    i was blessed with the Boy on 27th february 2016 at 6:48 A.M
    please suggest me name for my son

    thanks
    shakeel

  43. Assalamualaikum,
    I name my son as Muhammed numair Ali he is nearly 3 years old he is very stubborn n gets angry alot and the most is he cry alot n there is no health issues with him. So m planning to change his name should I go ahead n change his name or not plz suggest some good name

  44. My first baby boy born on 15 March 2016 at 00:15. Kindly inform me any Islamic suitable name.
    Waiting for your kind reply on my email
    Best Regards
    Sufyan Meer

  45. Essalamun aleykum
    I am so desperate to clarify my 4 year old daughters name. We named her Aleyna Zehra, Variation of Alina meaning soft and delicate as Lina means palm tree in heaven? I have been researching for a long time now and apparently Alina is not arabic and its origin is Greek from the word Helen meaning Light? All over the quaranic, islamic and arabic name websites it says Alina is soft and delicate- Aleena is silk of heaven, so is this wrong? So many people being mislead with meanings? What do i do? If Aleyna means simply “upon us” in arabic what do i do? Change my daughters name to what? Im so frustrated and confused please help

    Jazakallah kheir
    Elif

    • Wa alaykum as-salam. Forget about the baby name websites. You should consult someone who is very well versed in the Arabic language and the Quran. And if you are still uncomfortable with the name, then change it to something with a similar sound, that will be easy for your daughter to adapt to.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  46. I would like to keep my son Name (Muhammad Arham), is this ok?

  47. اسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
    I am checking this on behalf of a friend. She has a 5 or 6 yr old son whom she and her husband had named Aqeel Gany. After the son’s birth, her husband’s arab friend visited them and said that its not advisable to put any other word than Abdul or mohamed before the name Gany because its one of Allah swt’s name. After these years now my friend wants to know if the name Aqeel Gany is appropriate. If it isn’t she wants to add the word Abdul in front of Gany. And again, Aqeel Abdul Gany, would that be appropriate? Thank you.

    • That man is mistaken. Abdul-Ghany is one of Allah’s names, but “Ghany” only is not Allah’s name, so it’s fine to use it as a name for a child. However, if they wish to change it to Aqeel Abdul-Ghany, that is fine as well.

      However, there is another issue, which is that we do not give a child two first names in Islam. In the Islamic naming system, the first name is the given name (whatever name the parents choose), the middle name is the father’s name, and the last name is either the grandfather’s name or the family name. In my case, for example, my father’s name was Hesham (may Allah have mercy on him). And my grandfather’s name was Abdul-Qader (may Allah have mercy on him). While my family name is Abdelgawad. So my name could have been either Wael Hesham Abdel-Qader, or Wael Hesham Abdelgawad.

      So in my opinion the parents should choose between either Aqeel or Ghany (or Abdul-Ghani). I do not know the father’s name, but that would be the middle name.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  48. As-Salaamualiakum,
    We are expecting a baby boy in couple of months In sha Allah.
    We are planning on naming him Maahir which means skilled, expert.

    Could you please let me know if this name is referred anywhere in the Holy Quran or has any significance in Quran & Hadees?
    I read that Maahi is another name of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). Is this true?

    Is it okay to add Ahmed Khan to complete his name i.e., Maahir Ahmed Khan

    Ahmed – my wife’s surname
    Khan – my surname

    JazakAllah for your advice and time.

    • Touseef, wa alaykum as-salam. The name Mahir, as you have stated, means skilled or adept. It is not mentioned in the Quran. Maher Al Mueaqly is one of the Imams of Masjid-Al-Haram and is a renowned Quran reciter.

      It is not normal to add your wife’s surname to your child’s name. This would imply that the child was born out of wedlock. The normal Islamic naming system is given name – father’s given name – grandfather’s name or family name. So, for example, Maher Touseef Khan.

      Wael
      IslamicAnswers.com Editor

  49. Assalam walaikum,

    I was blessed with Baby Girl , we are decided to name her as Hiza Fatima , Could you please suggest is this correct name

    • Mohammad, wa alaykum as-salam. I am not familiar with the name Hiza. A number of websites say it means “beauty” or “lucky”. That seems odd to me since beauty and lucky are completely different. Allah knows best.

      Wael
      Zawaj.com Editor

  50. I want your advice from islamic point of view. Is it right to choose names “Minha” or “Mirha” for a baby girl. Does these names exists in Arabic and what are their meanings ?? Please guide. Waiting for your response.

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