Excerpt from the book "Wālidayn aur Aulād ke Ḥuqūq" by Shaykh Jāwēd Iqbāl Sīālkōṭī
Choosing Good Names for Children and Changing Bad Ones
◈ Ḥadīth 1 – Name Changed from ‘Āṣiyah to Jamīlah
عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ: أَنَّ ابْنَةً لِعُمَرَ كَانَ يُقَالُ لَهَا: عَاصِيَةُ، فَسَمَّاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: جَمِيلَةَ
(صحيح مسلم، كتاب الأدب، باب استحباب تغيير الاسم القبيح إلى حسن: 5604)
Translation:
Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated: A daughter of ʿUmar was named ʿĀṣiyah (disobedient), and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ changed her name to Jamīlah (beautiful).
◈ Ḥadīth 2 – Changing the Name Ḥazn (Roughness) to Sahl (Ease)
“The Prophet ﷺ asked a companion: What is your name?
He replied: Ḥazn (rugged ground).
The Prophet ﷺ said: You are Sahl (smooth ground), i.e., change your name to Sahl.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adab, Bāb: Changing Harsh Names)
◈ Ḥadīth 3 – From ʿAbd al-Ḥajar to ʿAbdullāh
عَنْ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّاسَ يُسَمُّونَ رَجُلًا عَبْدَ الْحَجَرِ، فَقَالَ: مَا اسْمُكَ؟ قَالَ: عَبْدُ الْحَجَرِ، قَالَ: لَا، أَنْتَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ
(الأدب المفرد: 811 – Authentic)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ heard people calling a man ʿAbd al-Ḥajar (slave of the stone). He asked: What is your name?
He said: ʿAbd al-Ḥajar.
The Prophet ﷺ replied: No, you are ʿAbdullāh.
◈ Ḥadīth 4 – Avoiding Specific Names
عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدُبٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ:
«لَا تُسَمِّ غُلَامَكَ رَبَاحًا، وَلَا يَسَارًا، وَلَا أَفْلَحَ، وَلَا نَافِعًا»
(صحيح مسلم، كتاب الآداب، باب كراهية التسمية بالأسماء القبيحة: 5600)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ said: Do not name your servant **Rabāḥ (profit), Yasār (ease), Aflāḥ (success), or Nāfiʿ (beneficial).
◈ Ḥadīth 5 – From Barrah to Jawairiyah
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: كَانَتْ جُوَيْرِيَةُ اسْمُهَا بَرَّةَ، فَحَوَّلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اسْمَهَا جُوَيْرِيَةَ، وَكَانَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقَالَ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ بَرَّةَ
(صحيح مسلم، كتاب الأدب، باب استحباب تغيير الاسم: 5606)
Translation:
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said: Jawairiyah’s name was Barrah (pious), but the Prophet ﷺ changed it to Jawairiyah, for he disliked it being said: “He just came from Barrah (the pious one).”
◈ Ḥadīth 6 – From Aṣram to Zurʿah
عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ أَخْدَرِي: أَنَّ رَجُلًا يُقَالُ لَهُ أَصْرَمُ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ: مَا اسْمُكَ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا أَصْرَمُ، قَالَ: بَلْ أَنْتَ زُرْعَةُ
(صحيح أبي داود، كتاب الأدب، باب في تغيير الاسم القبيح: 4954)
Translation:
Usāmah ibn Akhdarī narrated: A man named Aṣram (severe) came to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ asked: What is your name?
He said: Aṣram.
The Prophet ﷺ replied: No, you are Zurʿah (growth or vegetation).
◈ Ḥadīth 7 – General Habit of the Prophet ﷺ
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يُغَيِّرُ الِاسْمَ الْقَبِيحَ
(صحيح الترمذي، كتاب الأدب، باب ما جاء في تغيير الأسماء: 2839)
Translation:
ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها reported: The Prophet ﷺ used to change bad names.
✔ It is the right of children that their parents choose good, meaningful names for them.
✔ Names that conflict with Islamic creed — such as ʿAbd al-Rasūl or ʿAbd al-Nabī — should not be used, because ʿubūdiyyah (servitude) is only for Allah.
❖ Topic:
Choosing Good Names for Children and Changing Bad Ones
✿ Hadiths Encouraging Good Names and Prohibiting Bad Ones
◈ Ḥadīth 1 – Name Changed from ‘Āṣiyah to Jamīlah
عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ: أَنَّ ابْنَةً لِعُمَرَ كَانَ يُقَالُ لَهَا: عَاصِيَةُ، فَسَمَّاهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: جَمِيلَةَ
(صحيح مسلم، كتاب الأدب، باب استحباب تغيير الاسم القبيح إلى حسن: 5604)
Translation:
Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما narrated: A daughter of ʿUmar was named ʿĀṣiyah (disobedient), and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ changed her name to Jamīlah (beautiful).
◈ Ḥadīth 2 – Changing the Name Ḥazn (Roughness) to Sahl (Ease)
“The Prophet ﷺ asked a companion: What is your name?
He replied: Ḥazn (rugged ground).
The Prophet ﷺ said: You are Sahl (smooth ground), i.e., change your name to Sahl.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb al-Adab, Bāb: Changing Harsh Names)
◈ Ḥadīth 3 – From ʿAbd al-Ḥajar to ʿAbdullāh
عَنْ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّاسَ يُسَمُّونَ رَجُلًا عَبْدَ الْحَجَرِ، فَقَالَ: مَا اسْمُكَ؟ قَالَ: عَبْدُ الْحَجَرِ، قَالَ: لَا، أَنْتَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ
(الأدب المفرد: 811 – Authentic)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ heard people calling a man ʿAbd al-Ḥajar (slave of the stone). He asked: What is your name?
He said: ʿAbd al-Ḥajar.
The Prophet ﷺ replied: No, you are ʿAbdullāh.
◈ Ḥadīth 4 – Avoiding Specific Names
عَنْ سَمُرَةَ بْنِ جُنْدُبٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ:
«لَا تُسَمِّ غُلَامَكَ رَبَاحًا، وَلَا يَسَارًا، وَلَا أَفْلَحَ، وَلَا نَافِعًا»
(صحيح مسلم، كتاب الآداب، باب كراهية التسمية بالأسماء القبيحة: 5600)
Translation:
The Prophet ﷺ said: Do not name your servant **Rabāḥ (profit), Yasār (ease), Aflāḥ (success), or Nāfiʿ (beneficial).
◈ Ḥadīth 5 – From Barrah to Jawairiyah
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: كَانَتْ جُوَيْرِيَةُ اسْمُهَا بَرَّةَ، فَحَوَّلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اسْمَهَا جُوَيْرِيَةَ، وَكَانَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقَالَ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ بَرَّةَ
(صحيح مسلم، كتاب الأدب، باب استحباب تغيير الاسم: 5606)
Translation:
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said: Jawairiyah’s name was Barrah (pious), but the Prophet ﷺ changed it to Jawairiyah, for he disliked it being said: “He just came from Barrah (the pious one).”
◈ Ḥadīth 6 – From Aṣram to Zurʿah
عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ أَخْدَرِي: أَنَّ رَجُلًا يُقَالُ لَهُ أَصْرَمُ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ: مَا اسْمُكَ؟ قَالَ: أَنَا أَصْرَمُ، قَالَ: بَلْ أَنْتَ زُرْعَةُ
(صحيح أبي داود، كتاب الأدب، باب في تغيير الاسم القبيح: 4954)
Translation:
Usāmah ibn Akhdarī narrated: A man named Aṣram (severe) came to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ asked: What is your name?
He said: Aṣram.
The Prophet ﷺ replied: No, you are Zurʿah (growth or vegetation).
◈ Ḥadīth 7 – General Habit of the Prophet ﷺ
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ يُغَيِّرُ الِاسْمَ الْقَبِيحَ
(صحيح الترمذي، كتاب الأدب، باب ما جاء في تغيير الأسماء: 2839)
Translation:
ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها reported: The Prophet ﷺ used to change bad names.
Benefit: Islamic Naming Etiquette
✔ It is the right of children that their parents choose good, meaningful names for them.
✔ Names that conflict with Islamic creed — such as ʿAbd al-Rasūl or ʿAbd al-Nabī — should not be used, because ʿubūdiyyah (servitude) is only for Allah.
