IMPORTANT things to keep in mind before choosing a name for your baby

These points form below are the important things to keep in mind before choosing a name.

-Probably the best name a Muslim baby could have is ‘Abdullah’ and/or ‘Abdurrahman’.

- The most unsuitable, odd or a bad name for Muslim baby is ‘Harb’ and ‘Murrah’.

-It is forbidden to use not good (bad) names or names that contains improper meanings.

-It is forbidden to use ‘Barrah’ as your Muslim baby name.

- Avoid names that indicate any trace of shirk or association of partners with Allah like `Abd al-Ka`bah, or `Abd al-Nabi (servant of the Ka`bah or servant of the Prophet), since all of us are servants of Allah alone. Instead use Abdul (slave or servant of) with any of the 99 names of Allah like Abdullah for example which means 'Slave of Allah'

-It is forbidden to use the 99 names of Allah (Asmaa-ul Husnaa) if there is not Abdul in front of it. For example – Arrahman, Arrahim.

- Converts are allowed to keep their original name (only if the name has a good meaning and not a bad one).

-It is forbidden to use names like Salaatin, Syahansah, Sayyidun Sayyidul Kuli, Sayyidu Saadaat, Nas, Sultan.

-It is forbidden to choose names of fetish (worship items) like Latta, ‘Uzza, Manat, Assah, Naailat, Hublu, and others.

- It is forbidden to use names of wicked rulers like Fir’aun, Haman and others.

-It is forbidden to use devil names like Al-A’war, Al-Ajda, Khanzab, etc.

- It is forbidden to choose names that imply meanings that are offensive or unpleasant in connotations. The Prophet changed names such as Harb (War) with Salam (Peace), ‘Asiyah (Rebellious) with Jamilah (Beautiful), Sa`b (Difficult) with Sahl (Easy to deal with), etc

- It is forbidden to use disgusting animal names.

-It is forbidden to use names that are opposite to all goodness.

-Do not use boy’s names for a girl, and vice versa.

-It is highly not encouraged to use names of the angels.

-Do not use a name that doesn’t have any meaning.

-It is encouraged to choose a name that is pronounced in your own language just like how it is pronounce in the language Arabic, so that it wouldn’t be able to change the meaning of the word.

Now of course you can choose whatever name(s) you want to choose but please make sure to keep in mind and to follow, inshallah, of these important guides before picking the name you want.