A Muslim child or a person who later converts to Islam must be given a name that reflects his or her religious identity.
Muslim names can include:
- Names of prophets
- Names combined with Asmaul Husna (Names of Allah)
- Names from history
- Traditional or modern Islamic names
Choose a Name With Special Meaning
Choosing a name with a special meaning is very important for Muslim parents. The name given to a newborn baby is supposed to have a righteous meaning. It should bring blessings to the child throughout their life. Remember that simply because a name stems from the Islamic culture, doesn’t mean that it has a good meaning. In fact, several of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad changed their own Arabic names because of the negative connotations. In this way, someone named Harb (“war”) would be better served by changing his name to Silm (“peace”).
What the Prophet Says About Naming Babies
It is reported that the Prophet said, “On the Day of Resurrection, you will be called by your names and by your fathers’ names, so give yourselves good names.” Some Ahadeeth suggest that a child is to be named on the seventh day along with Aqeeqah, but other narrations state the Prophet also named children on the day of their birth. Muslim parents can name their babies immediately, or wait until the seventh day if needed.
Forbidden Names
One interesting aspect of Islam is that parents are forbidden to give their children certain names, such as those which are intended to belong only to Allah. To learn more about this topic, visit the Islam Questions & Answers website.
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