How Important is it for a New Muslim to Change His Name?

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:sl:

I changed my name from Jodie to Alisha

rest of my family still calls me Jodie tho (well snowy for nick name)

but i neva chnaged my surname. My surname is Clark and haven't chnaged that

muslim name is ALISHA CLARK naw.
 
NYCmuslim said:
How does one change their name? Do they just start calling themselves by their new name and tell other people the name? Or do you go to some sort of gov't agency to get it changed? What if you change your name but your old name is still on school records, bill, social securty, passport etc?
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:sl:
To chnage ur name is a big hassle indeed like me i aint a housewife or somethin tooo young for that yet :okay:

but erm i didn't have to chnage bills or anythin.

but on ma passport it's jodie clark coz me bro wudn't let me change it that sux HA!

my step uncle helped me chnaged my with some paper work n a mosque man 2 say i reveterd n sed ma shada
 
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Salaamualaikum!

NYCmuslim said:
How does one change their name? Do they just start calling themselves by their new name and tell other people the name? Or do you go to some sort of gov't agency to get it changed? What if you change your name but your old name is still on school records, bill, social securty, passport etc?
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It is best to consult your local Imam if you happen to live nearby one...

In the meantime... you may google for a good Muslim name... however, the best names are starting with Abdul meaning slave of then follow it with any names of Allah... like Adbullah.. Abdul Rahman, Abdul Raheem....

Whe you get a chance to have it official... your Iman can help you with it. But, I didn;t have to go official...

I am called many names here like siddik, Muhammad, Ahmad... I used sometimes Malik and Jibril... but I found out that we should not be using the name of the Angels... so I didn't have to change my name officially since my name isn't anti-islamic.

There is actually no compulsion to change your name officially. I hope this helps.
 
Asper said:
i have a question for anyone who can answer it:

From my understanding, the name joshua means "jehovah saves". would this name be considered haram? I know that there is an arabic form of the word (yushua), but still, i'd rather be safe than sorry
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Salaamualaikum!

Try Google...
 
Well I have a question! My name is Xena. A lot of people have mistaken it for "Zina" Would it be best to change my name? Xena isn't necessarily Christian. It just mean "hospitable" or could be "foreign" in Greek and Russian.
Thanks,
Xena c:
 
islamicfajr said:
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)
was asked: Does a person who becomes Muslim have to change his name like George or Joseph etc?

He replied:

He does not have to change his name unless it is a name that reflects servitude to someone or something other than Allaah, but it is good to change his name to something better. So if he changes his name from a foreign name to an Islamic name, that is good, but as to whether it is obligatory, no it is not.

But if his name was ‘Abd al-Maseeh [= “slave of the Messiah”, a name common among Arab Christians; a similar name in English cultures would be “Christopher” -- Translator] or something of that nature, then he should change it, but if the name does not imply servitude to anything or anyone other than Allaah, such as George and Paul, etc., then he does not have to change it, because these names are shared by Christians and others. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/404.
................................................
peace,
islamicfajr
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One of my sons is called "Joseph".

We are revert Muslims and he is just as much a Muslim as any other Muslim boy.
 
u dont have to but most reverts do
i legally changed my name after i converted to islam bc i wanted to be called/known by my muslim name and i really hated my birth name so i jumped at the oppurtunity
 
naidamar said:


Joseph or Yusuf (as) is a prophet's name.
Beautiful name based on such a extremely handsome AND pious prophet.
You do not have to change it.
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Thanks, I know that.

It's just for some Muslims, they frown upon reverts who haven't changed their names, and I find that upsetting. It just implies somehow that we are second-class Muslims. While we are revert Muslims without Muslim names, I know that were are more practising than some born Muslims with Muslim names. I just think it goes back to the old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover". That's just how I see things.
 
Very informative thread! A friend of mine asked me this question just a few days ago, so this is quite timely. I was initially under the impression that it's mandatory to change one's name, but now I know.
 
I think english names mixed with muslim names sound very nice lol. Many reverts change their first name and keep their family name.
 
MustafaMc said:
My opinion is that changing one's name is not important unless you feel a conviction to do so. Personally, I changed my first name to Mustafa, but kept my surname. My father's first name was also my first name that I moved down to my middle name. My reason for changing my name was to be known as a Muslim and as a final step in making a full commitment such that "there's no turning back now".
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Although I agree that it is not necessary for a revert to legally change his/her name, I am glad that I did. One who does not change his (acceptable) name is no less a Muslim than one who does. BTW my middle name is 'George', the same as my father's first name.
 

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