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Name is what a person is distinguished by. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as a word or a combination of words constituting the individual designation by which a person, animal, place or thing is known, spoken of etc. The name you pick for your baby is a word that will be used to identify them for the rest of their life.

One should always remember that the baby name given to a child is his or her first gift in life. Therefore great care must be taken in choosing baby names that have pleasant and beautiful meanings just like our prophet Muhammad s.a.w did.

People name their children to distinguish them from others. The baby must be named on the seventh day, according to the hadith a child must be named promptly on birth. The baby name must be meaningful. "You will be called by your name on the day of judgment" this is another reason why it is important to choose a baby name with good meaning. The Prophet was very particular about it and he always changed names that were derogatory. An example is that he changed Aasiyah (disobedient) into Jameelah (beautiful).

A baby must not be given the name of Allah unless it is compounded with Allah. According to a hadith the worst of men on the day of judgement will be one who is called Shahinshah, only Allah Ta'ala is King of Kings or Shahinshah: kingdom belongs to Him alone.

Further parents must make sure that the baby names they select signify servitude to Allah alone and to no one else. They must not append bondage even to the name Nabi. Names that reflect love or romance must not be used either. The Prophet has suggested names of the Prophets or Abdullah and Abdurrahman. He has said "keep the names of the noble Prophets, Allah loves most the name Abdullah and Abdurahman. The most truthful names are Harith and Humam, while the most disliked are Harb and Murrah (war and bitter).


We realize how difficult it can be for parents to pick the "perfect baby name"