This excerpt is taken from the book published by Maktaba Darussalam's Department of Authorship and Compilation Dictionary of Names and Rulings and Issues of Newborns.
It is obligatory upon parents and heads of families to choose a meaningful, beautiful, and attractive name for the child that is loved by every knowledgeable and sensible person because our guide and leader, the Noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, encouraged and commanded this.
❀ Best Names:
Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إن أحب أسمائكم إلى الله عبد الله وعبد الرحمن
Indeed, among all your names, two names are most beloved to Allah: Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Adab, Chapter on Prohibition of Kunya. Hadith: 2132 and Sunan Abi Dawood, Adab, Chapter on Changing Names, Hadith: 4949
❀ Disliked and Abhorrent Names:
Islamic Shariah is pure, clear, and transparent in every respect. Just as it has always encouraged its followers towards the good aspects in every field of religion and worldly life and instilled hatred for bad morals, bad habits, inappropriate actions, and unsuitable speech, similarly it has also advised avoiding names that would be a stain on Islamic personality, dignity, and culture and civilization.
❀ Types of disliked and detestable names:
These disliked and detestable names can be of six types, which we will mention separately in detail below.
First type: It is obligatory for those who train others to avoid such names that are extremely ugly and bad, which harm a person's honor, dignity, and respect, and because of which he is constantly subjected to ridicule and mockery. Regarding this, Hazrat Aisha رضي الله عنها states:
أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يغير الإسم القبيح
The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم used to change bad names.
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Al-Adab, Chapter on Changing Names, Hadith: 2839, and Sahih, see Sahih, Hadith: 207
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar رضی اللہ عنہما narrates:
أن ابنة لعمر كانت يقال لها عاصية، فسماها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم جميلة
Hazrat Umar رضی اللہ عنہ had a beloved daughter named Asiyah (disobedient), so the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم changed her name to Jameela (beautiful).
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Al-Adab, Chapter on the Recommendation of Changing Names, Hadith: 2139 and Jami` at-Tirmidhi, Al-Adab, Chapter on Changing Names, Hadith: 2838
Imam Abu Dawood رحمه الله states that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم changed the following names: Al-‘As (disobedient), Aziz (Almighty/attribute of Allah), ‘Atlah (harshness and severity), Shaytan (Satan, rejected), Al-Hakam (the Judge, attribute of Allah), Ghurab (evil bird or distance), Habbab (name of Satan or a type of snake), and changed Shahab (flame, spark) to Hisham (generosity and munificence). He recommended Harb (war and dispute) and Salam (peace and safety). He preferred Mudtaji‘ (one who lies down) and Munba‘ith (one who rises). He changed ‘Afirah (barren land) to Khadra (green and lush). He changed Sha‘b al-Dalala (tribe of misguidance) to Sha‘b al-Huda (tribe of guidance). He changed Banu al-Zina (children of fornication) to Banu al-Rushdah (children of goodness) and also changed Banu Mughawiyah (children of misguidance) to Banu Rushdah.
Imam Abu Dawood says: For brevity, I have omitted the chains of narration of all these hadiths mentioning these names.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Al-Adab, Chapter on Changing Ugly Names, after Hadith: 4956
Second type: Every believer must avoid names that indicate misfortune and bad omen so that the child is protected from the calamity that may arise from people because they will consider him unlucky. Regarding this, we present two hadiths below.
Hazrat Saeed bin Musayyib رحمه الله narrates from his father:
أن أباه جاء إلى النبى الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال : ما اسمك؟ قال: حزن، قال : أنت سهل، قال: لا أغير اسما سمانيه أبى ، قال ابن المسيب : فما زالت الحزونة فينا بعد
Undoubtedly, his father came to the presence of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and the Prophet asked his name. He replied: My name is Huzn (sorrow and distress). The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: "Then change your name to Sahl (ease and convenience)." He said: I cannot change the name given by my father. Saeed bin Musayyib states that after that, sorrow, grief, anxiety, and restlessness always remained in our family.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Adab, Chapter on the Name of Sorrow, Hadith: 6190 and Sunan Abi Dawood, Al-Adab, Chapter on Changing Ugly Names, Hadith: 4956
Hazrat Yahya bin Saeed رحمه الله narrates:
أن عمر بن الخطاب قال لرجل : ما اسمك؟ فقال جمرة، فقال ابن من؟ فقال : ابن شهاب، قال: ممن قال: من الحرقة، قال : أين مسكنك؟ قال : بحرة النار، قال بأيها ؟ قال : بذات لظى قال عمر : أدرك أهلك فقد احترقوا ، قال فكان كما قال عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه
Hazrat Umar رضی اللہ عنہ asked a man: What is your name? He said: Jamrah (ember of fire). He asked: What is your father's name? He said: Shahab (flame of fire). He asked: What is the name of your tribe? He said: Harqah (burnt by fire). He asked: Where is your residence? He said: Harat al-Nar (the area of two fires). Then he asked: What is the name of the valley where you live? He said: Dhat Lazi (fiery). Hazrat Umar رضی اللہ عنہ said: Then go and take care of your family. Fire has burned them to ashes. The narrator says that indeed his household and family had become victims of destruction and ruin as Hazrat Umar رضی اللہ عنہ had said.
Reference: Muwatta Imam Malik, Permission, Chapter on Disliked Names, Hadith: 1871
Third type: Names that are exclusively associated with the blessed essence of Allah سبحانه وتعالیٰ should be avoided, such as [Al-Ahad, As-Samad, Al-Khaliq, Ar-Razzaq], etc. However, these names can be used if preceded by the word "Abd" (servant of), for example, Abd al-Ahad, Abd as-Samad.
Hazrat Hani رضی اللہ عنہ narrates:
إنه لما وقد إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم مع قومه، سمعهم يكنونه بأبي الحكم، فدعاه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: إن الله هو الحكم وإليه الحكم، فلم تكنى أبا الحكم؟ فقال : إن قومي إذا اختلفوا فى شيء أتوني فحكمت بينهم فرضي كلا الفريقين، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : ما أحسن هذا فمالك من الولد؟ قال : لي شريح ومسلم وعبد الله، قال: فمن أكبرهم؟ قال : قلت : شريح قال: فأنت أبو شريح
When he (Hani) came with his people to the presence of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, he heard that people called him by the kunya Abu al-Hakam. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم called him and said: (Al-Hakam) the one who judges justly and makes correct decisions, the ruler of all is Allah's name, and all decisions are made by Him, so why do you keep the kunya Abu al-Hakam? He replied: When my people have a dispute, they come to me, and I decide between them, and both parties are satisfied. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: This is a very good deed (but this kunya is not appropriate). How many children do you have? He said: I have three children: Shurayh, Muslim, and Abdullah. The Prophet asked: Who is the eldest? He replied: Shurayh is the eldest son. The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: From now on, your kunya is Abu Shurayh.
Reference: Adab al-Qudat, Chapter on Judging Between People, Hadith: 5389 and the hadith is authentic, see: Al-Irwa, Hadith: 2615
Hazrat Abu Hurairah رضی اللہ عنہ narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
أغيظ رجل على الله يوم القيامة، وأخبثه وأغيظه عليه، رجل كان يسمى ملك الأملاك، لا ملك إلا الله
On the Day of Judgment, the most disliked, worst, and evil person in the sight of Allah will be the one who calls himself ” ملك الاملاك“ (King of Kings or Emperor) because the King of all kings is only Allah, the Glorious, the Honorable, and the Majestic.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Al-Adab, Chapter on the Prohibition of Naming Oneself Malik al-Amalak, Hadith: 2143
Fourth type: Every person should avoid names that imply prosperity and blessing because the problem with such names is that if someone asks about the person with that name, for example, "Is Yasar (ease) at home?" and the person is not present, the answer will be "No, Yasar (ease) is not at home," which is contrary to prosperity. Other such names include Aflah (successful), Nafi‘ (beneficial), Ribhah (profitable), Najih (successful), etc.
Hazrat Samurah bin Jundub رضی اللہ عنہ narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
أحب الكلام إلى الله أربع: سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إلٰه إلا الله، والله أكبر، لا يضرك بأيهن بدأت، لا تسمين غلامك يسارا، ولا رباحا، ولا نجيحا، ولا أفلح، فإنك تقول: أثم هو؟ فلا يكون، فيقول: لا، إنما هن أربع فلا تزدن علي
Allah, the Glorious, loves four words [سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله والله اكبر ] very much. Whichever word you begin with among them, you will not be harmed. Do not name your son Yasar, Ribhah, Najih, or Aflah because if you ever ask about a person named Aflah (successful) being present somewhere and he is not there, the other person will say that (Aflah, the successful person) is not present. It implies that there are unsuccessful people at home.
(Hazrat Samurah رضی اللہ عنہ tells his student) These are only four names; do not add to these names and attribute them to me.
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Al-Adab, Chapter on Disliking Certain Names, Hadith: 2137 and Sunan Abi Dawood, Al-Adab, Chapter on Changing Ugly Names, Hadith: 4958
Hazrat Samurah bin Jundub رضی اللہ عنہ narrates:
نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نسمي رقيقنا أربعة أسماء: أفلح ونافع ورباح ويسار
The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم forbade us from naming our slaves with any of these four names: Aflah, Nafi‘, Ribhah, and Yasar.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Al-Adab, Chapter on Changing Ugly Names, Hadith: 4959 and Sunan Ibn Majah, Al-Adab, Chapter on Disliked Names, Hadith: 3730 (wording is his)
Fifth type: Those who believe in Allah and His Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم should avoid names that combine the word "Abd" (servant) with anything other than Allah. For example, Abd al-‘Uzzā (servant of ‘Uzzā), Abd al-Ka‘bah (servant of the Ka‘bah), Abd al-Nabi (servant of the Prophet), etc. According to the entire Muslim Ummah, giving such names is forbidden.
Objection: The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said during the Battle of Hunayn against the disbelievers:
أنا النبى لا كذب، أنا ابن عبد المطلب
I am a true Prophet, not a liar. I am the son of Abd al-Muttalib.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Jihad and Military Expeditions, Chapter on Leading Another's Mount in War, Hadith: 2864 and Sahih Muslim, Jihad, Chapter on the Battle of Hunayn, Hadith: 1776
If such names are forbidden, then why did the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم mention his grandfather's name Abd al-Muttalib (servant of Muttalib) with his pure tongue?
Answer: The answer to this objection was given by Allama Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله as follows: "The Prophet's saying does not relate to the act of giving a new name but rather to informing people about a person by the name he is known by. It is not forbidden to introduce or inform people about someone by such a name."
This is why the devoted companions of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم did not stop mentioning the well-known pre-Islamic tribes like Banu Abd Shams, Banu Abd al-Dar, etc., in his presence.
In short, it is permissible to mention or introduce such names by tongue even if they are originally forbidden and haram to be given as new names.
Reference: Tuhfat al-Mawdud, p. 112, Bitaghyeer Yaseer
Sixth type: All Muslims should avoid and be cautious of names that may harm Islamic dignity, honor, and prestige, or resemble names of disbelievers and non-Muslims, or express meanings of destruction, punishment, or penalty. Examples include Hayam (mad, crazy), Haifa (slim-waisted), Mayadah (a woman who walks with pride and coquettishness), Nariman (a woman with a bright face and radiant body), Ghada (soft and delicate woman in her prime), Ahlam (one who has scattered dreams), etc. All such names should be avoided.
Wisdom: The reason and wisdom for avoiding such names is that the Muslim Ummah should appear distinguished and prominent in its personality and identity, known by its characteristics and individuality. These mentioned names not only harm the dignity and honor of the Islamic personality but also risk causing decline and degradation instead of progress. The Islamic Shariah and system, full of truth and meaning, may appear weak and meaningless. Today, when the Muslim Ummah is suffering from decline and deterioration, its structure is falling apart, and every enemy is trying to seize it, it has become very easy to disgrace honorable Muslims, violate their sanctity, and shatter their honor and chastity. In such a situation, we need to be extremely cautious and careful at every step against all these dangers. We must leave our slips behind and fully focus on following the Prophetic method and exemplary conduct. We ask Allah alone, O Generous Master! You possess all treasures of power and strength, grant us help and cooperation! Grant us the ability to avoid and shun such names as much as possible and to strive in every possible way.
A comprehensive hadith: In such circumstances, it will not be surprising why the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم gave his Ummah these special instructions to name themselves after the names of the Prophets عليه السلام and to prefer names that express servitude and worship of Allah. Hazrat Abu Wahb Jushmi رضی اللہ عنہ narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
تسموا بأسماء الأنبياء، وأحب الأسماء إلى الله: عبد الله وعبد الرحمن، وأصدقها حارث وهمام، وأقبحها حرب ومرة
Name yourselves after the noble Prophets عليه السلام, and among all names, the two names most beloved to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman. Among all names, the two that express the most truthfulness and sincerity are Harith (the one who earns) and Hammam (the one who is thoughtful). The two ugliest and worst names are Harb (war) and Marrah (bitter).
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Al-Adab, Chapter on Changing Names, Hadith: 4950 and Musnad Ahmad: 345/4 and the hadith is authentic except for the phrase "Name yourselves after the names of the Prophets," see: Al-Irwa, Hadith: 1178 and Sahihah, Hadith: 1040
Indeed, by this virtue, the Ummah of Muhammad will excel over other nations in every field of life and will always remain the best Ummah for whom it was created, to guide humanity towards growth, guidance, and the fundamental laws and regulations of Islam.
