SELECTING A MUSLIM NAME
by Irshad Mahmood

"He is God, the Creator, the Maker Who shapes all forms and appearances His are the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth extols His limitless glory and He is the Mighty, the Wise." (Quran Chapter 59:24)

A convert to Islam is NOT obliged to change their name to a muslim name. However, if the non-muslim name has a meaning that is against Islam then selecting a new name would be advisable.
Changing your name to a muslim name can be done:
- either through the official name changing channels, resulting in a name change on your bank account, passport etc.
- alternatively, it can be as simple as selecting your new name and asking others to use it, leaving your official name as that given on your birth certificate.
The latter option tends to be the most popular amongst new muslims, and is perfectly acceptable.
Having decided on the new name the convert can tell friends and family as appropriate, realising that telling parents that the name they chose for you as a baby has now been changed, could be a delicate matter. A number of converts continue to be known to their families by their non-muslim names, at least until the family have accepted their change in religion.
There are many muslim names to pick from, and the names listed below are only a few out of the many. Some converts prefer to pick a muslim name that is similar in sounding to their non-muslim name, whereas others, like myself, prefer a brand new name that is different, a totally new name for a new start.
I hope you enjoy this unusual opportunity to decide on your own name as much as I did.

ATTRIBUTE NAMES

Please keep in mind that a person cannot be named by an attribute of God alone, but the attribute must be preceded with 'Abd' meaning 'servant'. eg 'Rahman' should be 'Abdur Rahman', 'Aziz' should be 'Abdul Aziz' The 'Abd..' should not be treated as a name in itself, eg 'Abdul' does not make sense as a name on it's own.

NAME | MEANING
AbdulAdal | servant of the Just
AbdulAliy | servant of the High
AbdulAziz | servant of the Mighty
AbdulBasir | servant of the All-Seeing
AbdulHaqq | servant of the Truth
AbdulMalik | servant of the Sovereign
AbdulQuddus | servant of the Holy
AbdulWasi | servant of the All-Embracing

AbdurRahman | servant of the Beneficient
AbdurRafi | servant of the One who Elevates
AbdurRazzaq | servant of the Sustainer

AbdusSabur | servant of the Patient
AbdusSalam | servant of the Author of Safety

AbdutTawwah | servant of the Relenting

AbduzZahir | servant of the Manifest

PROPHETS(as) NAMED IN THE QURAN

Adam(as)
Alyasa(as)
Ayyub(as)
Dawud(as)
Dhu-l Kifl(as)
Harun(as)
Hud(as)
Ibrahim(as)
Idris(as)
Ilyas(as)
Imran(as)
Isa(as)
Ishaq(as)
Ismail(as)
Lut(as)
Muhammad(saaw)
Musa(as)
Nuh(as)
Salih(as)
Shuayb(as)
Sulayman(as)
Uzayr(as)
Yahya(as)
Yaqub(as)
Yunus(as)
Yusuf(as)
Zakariya(as)

FEMALE NAMES

NAME | MEANING
Afifah | chaste,modest
Alimah | woman of learning,scholar
Amal | hope,aspiration
Amatullah | servant of God
Amilah | hopeful
Aminah | safe,protected,Mother of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Andalah | song of the nightingale
Anisah | friendly, affectionate
Aqilah | sensible, intelligent
Arijah | fragrant
Asilah | of noble origin
Asiyah | comforting,consoling,wife of Pharoah
Asma | precious
Azhar | flowers,blossoms
Badihah | insight,perspective
Bashirah | bringer of good news
Basimah | smiling
Bushra | good news
Dhakirah | one who remembers God
Durrah | pearl
Fadilah | outstanding,learned
Faizah | victorious
Farah | joy
Fasihah | eloquent
Fatimah | the beloved daughter(as) of the Holy Prophet(saaw)
Ghadah | beautiful
Ghaziyah | fighter
Habibah | beloved
Hajra | wife of Prophet Ibrahim(as)
Halimah | gentle
Hamimah | close friend
Hana | bliss
Hasinah | pretty
Hawwa | Eve(as) the wife of Prophet Adam(as)
Haya | shyness
Hikmah | wisdom
Husna | most beautiful
Ibtisam | smile
Iman | faith,belief
Izdihar | flourishing
Jala | clarity
Jalilah | splendid
Janan | heart
Junaynah | little garden
Karimah | generous,noble
Kawthar | abundance,river in Paradise
Khadijah | first wife of the Holy Prophet(saaw)
Khalilah | friend
Kubra | great,senior
Layyinah | tender,resilient
Lubabah | innermost essence
Madihah | praiseworthy
Manal | achievement
Mardiyah | commendable
Maryam | the Mother of Prophet Jesus(as)
Masumah | innocent
Maziyah | excellence,virtue
Muminah | faithful
Muna | wish,desire
Munibah | repentant
Nabihah | noble
Nadimah | friend
Nadirah | radiant
Nafisah | precious
Najah | success,safety
Najmah | star
Nasifah | just,equitable
Nawar | blossom,flower
Nihlah | present,gift
Nuriyah | brilliant,radiant
Qabilah | wise
Qudsiyah | glorious
Rabab | white cloud,wife of Imam Hussein(as)
Rafiqah | companion
Rahah | rest,comfort
Raymah | mercy,wife of Prophet Ayyub(as)
Raimah | loving tenderly
Rashidah | rightly guided
Rawdah | garden in Paradise
Ruhiyah | spiritual
Rushda | most rightly guided
Ruwa | prettiness
Sabah | dawn,morning
Safa | purity of mind
Sahlah | soft,fluent
Saimah | fasting
Sajidah | prostrating to God
Sakinah | tranquility,daughter of Imam Hussain(as)
Salma | peaceful
Samah | generosity
Shadha | aromatic
Shifa | healing
Suhaylah | smooth
Sulafah | choicest
Tahirah | pure,chaste
Taqiyah | Godfearing
Tasnim | fountain of Paradise
Tayyibah | good
Thana | thankfulness
Ulfah | friendship,harmony
Uzma | greatest
Wafiyah | faithful
Waliyah | friend
Wasilah | inseparable friend
Wasimah | graceful,pretty
Yumna | on the right
Zafirah | successful
Zahra | radiant, resplendent
Zahrah | flower,splendour
Zakiyah | pure
Zaynab | beauty of the father,daughter of Imam Ali (as) and Bibi Fatima(as)
Zeenah | beauty
Zuhrah | brilliance

MALE NAMES

NAME | MEANING
Abbas | description of a lion
Abdullah | servant of God, name of father of Holy Prophet(saaw)
Adil | just, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Affan | modest
Ahmad | praiseworthy, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Akbar | greater
Ali | excellent,noble
Amin | trustworthy, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Anas | affection
Askari | soldier
Bahir | dazzling
Barakat | blessing
Basim | smiling
Bilal | companion of the Holy Prophet(saaw)
Damir | conscience
Dhakir | one who remembers God
Fahim | intelligent
Falah | success
Farid | unique
Faruq | he who distinguishes truth from falsehood
Ghanim | successful
Ghufran | forgiveness
Habib | beloved
Hafiz | protector, guardian
Hamzah | lion, uncle of the Holy Prophet(saaw)
Hasan | handsome
Hasif | endowed with sound judgement
Hilal | crescent
Husayn | handsome, beautiful
Ijaz | miracle
Ikhlas | sincerity
Imad | support, pillar
Insaf | justice
Jabir | restorer
Jafar | stream, rivulet
Jawad | generous
Jibril | Archangel Gabriel
Jihad | struggle
Kalim | orator
Kamil | complete, perfect
Khalil | friend, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Khayyir | generous
Latif | fine, gentle
Lutfullah | kindness of God
Mahbub | beloved
Mahdi | guided, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Manazir | equal competitor
Mubarak | blessed
Muhammad | praiseworthy, commendable, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Muhsin | benevolent, benefactor
Mukarram | honoured, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Mustafa | chosen, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Mutahhar | purifier,name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Nabih | noble
Nadim | companion, friend
Naqi | pure
Nazir | observer
Nur | light
Qaim | stable, upright
Qarib | close, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Qasim | distributer, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Qiyam | rising, standing
Rabi | spring
Rafiq | kind friend
Ridwan | pleasure, goodwill
Sabbar | very patient
Sadiq | truthful, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Sayyid | leader, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Shafi | healing, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Shahid | martyr
Siraj | lamp, name of Prophet Muhammad (saaw)
Tahir | pure, virtuous
Talib | seeker of knowledge
Taqi | God-fearing
Tufayl | mediator
Ubaydah | servant of God
Wafi | faithful, loyal
Wahid | unique
Wali | friend
Walid | newborn
Wasim | handsome
Yasir | wealthy
Zaki | pure
Zaman | destiny
Zayyan | beautiful
Zaynul Abidin | beauty of worshippers

Your comments are welcome....noor.e.islaam@gmail.com

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