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Thank you for downloading Islamic Relief’s guide on baby names for Muslim
boys.
For many it is the best blessing attained in this Dunya from Allah SWT.
One of the best things a parent can do is to give their child a righteous name.
We hope and pray that by giving our children righteous names, they will be
blessed and will glorify Allah SWT throughout their lives.
It is a common understanding amongst the Sunni ulema, that there are four
categories of good names:
The first (best) category is the names ‘Abd-Allah and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan.
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
said: “The most beloved of names to Allah are ‘Abd-Allah and ‘Abd al-
Rahman.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 1398).
The second category is all the names which express enslavement to and
worship of Allah, such as ‘Abd al-Azeez, ‘Abd al-Raheem, ‘Abd al-Malik, ‘Abd
AIlah, ‘Abd al-Salaam, etc.
The third category is the names of Prophets and Messengers – may the peace
and blessings of Allah be upon them.
Undoubtedly, the best and greatest of them is our Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him); the name Ahmad is also one of his names.
Next come the names of the “Messengers of strong will” *cf. Al-Ahqaaf 46:35],
namely Ibrahim, Mussa, Eesa and Nuh (May the peace and blessings of Allah
be upon them), then the rest of the Prophets - may the peace and blessings of
Allah be upon them.
The fourth category is the names of righteous slaves of Allah - above all the
companions of our Noble Prophet SAW.
The fifth category would be any other good name, which has a proper and
pleasant meaning.
1. Recognising the fact that this name will stay with the person for their
lifetime. So don’t choose a name that may cause some embarrassment or
problems for them, which in turn could make them feel badly towards their
Father, Mother or whoever gave them this name.
We should look at the name itself and also think of how it will sound when
this person is a child, a teenager, an adult, etc. Some names that suit a child
are not well suited to an adult.
3. Choosing the name is the right of the Father because he is the one after
whom the child will be recognised i.e. bin (son of) or bint (daughter of) in
Shariah.
However, it is mustahabb (highly recommended) for the Father to involve
the Mother in the decision and to seek her opinion. After all the Prophet
SAW did say: “Your Heaven lies under the feet of your Mother” (Ahmad,
Nasai).
4. The child must be named after their Father, even if the Father is deceased,
divorced, neglects the care of the child, etc.
The only exception to this rule is when the child is born outside of wedlock
(Allah forbid). In that case the child should be named after their Mother
and it is not permissible to name them after their biological Father.
These are some of the Islamic etiquette we must bear in mind, when naming
our children.
In-sha-Allah this guide will serve as a great resource in helping you to find a
name for your son.
Our team of 2,500 people operate in over 100 countries and provide
emergency relief to those who need it most.
We also look after over 43,000 orphans worldwide and implore you to
celebrate the birth of your child, with an orphan sponsorship:
Sahl ibn Sa’d reported: The Prophet SAW said, “The one who cares for an
orphan and myself will be together in Paradise like this,” and he held his two
fingers together to illustrate.
In-sha-Allah this guide has helped you to find a name for your son.
Our team of 2,500 people operate in over 100 countries and provide
emergency relief to those who need it most.
We also look after over 43,000 orphans worldwide and implore you to
celebrate the birth of your child, with an orphan sponsorship:
Sahl ibn Sa’d reported: The Prophet SAW said, “The one who cares for an
orphan and myself will be together in Paradise like this,” and he held his two
fingers together to illustrate.