Bismillāh ir-Raḥmān ir-Raḥīm

Etiquettes of Naming (In the Light of Hadith)

“Sayyiduna Anas (RA) reported: The Prophet ﷺ was in the marketplace when a man called out, ‘O Abul-Qasim!’ The Prophet ﷺ turned toward him. The man clarified, ‘I was calling someone else.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘You may keep my name, but do not adopt my kunyah (title: Abul-Qasim).’”
(Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

“Sayyiduna Jabir (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Keep my name, but do not adopt my kunyah. Indeed, I have been made a distributor; I distribute knowledge and spoils among you.’”
(Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

“Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Prophet ﷺ forbade that a person combine the name and kunyah of the Messenger ﷺ and call himself Muhammad Abul-Qasim.”
(Jami‘ Tirmidhi)

“Muhammad bin al-Hanafiyyah (RA) narrated from his father: I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! If a son is born to me after you, may I name him after you and give him your kunyah?’ The Prophet ﷺ permitted it.”
(Sunan Abu Dawud)

Clarification: It is understood that after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ, combining his name and kunyah became permissible, but during his lifetime it was not allowed. والله أعلم

“Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Umar (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Among the names, the most beloved to Allah are ‘Abdullah and ‘Abdur-Rahman.’”
(Sahih Muslim)

“Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘On the Day of Judgment, the most detestable name in the sight of Allah will be that of a person who calls himself “Shahanshah” (King of kings).’”
(Sahih Bukhari)
And he ﷺ also said: “The most disliked and anger-provoking name in the sight of Allah is that of a person who is called ‘Shahanshah,’ whereas the true King is only Allah.”
(Sahih Muslim)

“Sayyidah Zaynab bint Abi Salamah (RA) reported: My name was ‘Barrah.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Do not declare yourselves pure; Allah knows best who among you is righteous.’ He renamed her Zaynab.”
(Sahih Muslim)

“Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Umar (RA) reported: One of the daughters of ‘Umar (RA) was named ‘Asiyah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ renamed her ‘Jamilah.’”
(Sahih Muslim)

“Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa‘d (RA) reported: When Mundhir ibn Abi Usayd was born, he was brought to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ placed him on his lap and asked, ‘What is his name?’ They replied, ‘Such-and-such.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘No, his name is Mundhir.’”
(Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

“Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘None of you should say: this is my slave (male) or this is my slave-girl. All of you are slaves of Allah, and all women are maidservants of Allah. Rather, say: my servant, my maid, my boy, or my girl. And a servant should not call his master “Rabb” (lord); rather, he should say: my master.’”
(Sahih Muslim)

“‘Abdul-Hamid bin Jubair (RA) reported: I was sitting with Sa‘id bin al-Musayyib, and he told me that his grandfather, whose name was ‘Ḥazn’ (hardness), came to the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ asked: ‘What is your name?’ He replied: ‘Ḥazn.’ The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Rather, you are Sahl (ease).’ He said: ‘I will not change the name given to me by my father.’ Ibn al-Musayyib said: ‘Hardness remained among us after that.’”
(Sahih Bukhari)

Many people are unaware of these teachings. It is requested that the commands of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ be conveyed to as many people as possible. Whoever reads and benefits from them, In shā’ Allāh, you will also share in the reward. In Hadith, such knowledge is described as a form of ongoing charity (Sadaqah Jariyah).

JazākAllāh Khayran.