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Muslim names: boy and girl names with their meanings
Choosing a good name is the child’s first right. Here is a selection of Muslim names with their meaning and the rules of the Sunnah.
Muslim boy names
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Muhammad, Ahmad | The praised one, the most praised |
| ‘Abdullah | Servant of Allah |
| ‘Abd ar-Rahman | Servant of the Most Merciful |
| Ibrahim, Isma‘il, Ishaq, Ya‘qub | Names of prophets |
| Yusuf, Musa, ‘Isa, Yunus | Names of prophets |
| Adam | The first man, the first prophet |
| Ilyas, Idris, Harun, Zakariya, Yahya | Names of prophets |
| ‘Umar | Life, long life |
| ‘Ali | High, noble |
| Hamza | Strong, steadfast |
| Bilal | Freshness (name of the Prophet’s muezzin ﷺ) |
| Anas | Affection, pleasant company |
| Amin | Trustworthy |
| Ayyub | The prophet of patience |
| Rayyan | Quenched; name of a gate of Paradise for those who fast |
| Sami | Elevated, sublime |
| Karim | Generous |
| Nasim | Gentle breeze |
| Mahdi | The rightly guided |
| Yasin | Letters opening Surah Ya-Sin |
| Ilyes | Form of the name of the prophet Ilyas |
| Imran | Name of Maryam’s family (Surah Al ‘Imran) |
| Khalid | Eternal, lasting |
| Tariq | The night star (Surah At-Tariq) |
Muslim girl names
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Maryam | Mother of the prophet ‘Isa, the only woman named in the Quran |
| Khadijah | First wife of the Prophet ﷺ |
| ‘Aishah | Living, full of life |
| Fatimah | Daughter of the Prophet ﷺ |
| Asiyah | The believing wife of Pharaoh |
| Hajar | Mother of Isma‘il |
| Safiyyah | Pure, chosen |
| Zaynab | A fragrant tree |
| Sumayyah | Elevated; the first martyr of Islam |
| Aminah | Trustworthy, mother of the Prophet ﷺ |
| Hafsah | Young lioness, wife of the Prophet ﷺ |
| Nur | Light |
| Inas | Gentle company |
| Lina | Tender, palm tree |
| Yasmin | Jasmine flower |
| Salma | Peaceful, safe |
| Sarah | Wife of Ibrahim |
| Malak | Angel |
| Hibah | Gift, gift from Allah |
| Rania | One who gazes |
| Iman | Faith |
| Firdaws | The highest level of Paradise |
| Kawthar | Abundance; a river of Paradise |
| Du‘a | Supplication |
The rules for choosing a name
- Choose a name with a good meaning: the Prophet ﷺ changed names with a bad meaning (Sahih Muslim, 2139).
- Prefer names of servanthood to Allah and those of the prophets.
- Avoid worship of other than Allah and names exclusive to Allah.
- Choose a name that is easy to carry in the society where the child will grow up.
For more ideas, browse the Companions of the Prophet and the 99 names of Allah (preceded by ‘Abd).
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You may be wondering…
What are the names most beloved to Allah?
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The names most beloved to Allah are ‘Abdullah and ‘Abd ar-Rahman” (Sahih Muslim, 2132). Names formed with “‘Abd” (servant) followed by a name of Allah are therefore especially recommended.
Which names are forbidden in Islam?
One should avoid names expressing worship of other than Allah (such as ‘Abd an-Nabi), names with a bad or arrogant meaning (such as “king of kings”, Sahih al-Bukhari, 6205), and names reserved for Allah such as Ar-Rahman alone.
When should the baby be named?
The child may be named on the day of birth or on the seventh day, the day of the aqiqah. Both practices are reported in the Sunnah.
Must a Muslim name be Arabic?
No. A name in any language is permitted if it has a good meaning and does not contradict the faith. The names of prophets, Companions and Arabic names with a beautiful meaning remain the most chosen.
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