heres a article i found intresting.
What’s In A Name?
This seems to be a very controversial issue amongst born muslims and converts. About having a name that gives one an Islamic Identity.
Now first of all my let’s talk about why people change their names when they accept Islam and as to why they then change their names back? First of all I don’t think they should have to change their names to begin with in the first place. I for one have never read or heard anything anywhere that your obligated to. When we go to the masjids back home and as soon as someone accepts Islam the first thing the people in the masjid do is tell that person they have to change their name? Why? I mean it’s so rude. They don’t know how to pray and hardly know a thing about the religion…reminds me of when women accept Islam and they whip out the hijab and tell her she has to put it on or she’s sinful! That’s another post itself. Let’s not go there.
Alot of people say that it’s so that converts/reverts…(I say converts…to each its own) have a sense of Islamic Identity. Now I personally think it’s their choice. If you want to change your name then go ahead but if you don’t then don’t. Don’t let people force you into making decisions your not comfortable with. You should use your judgement and do what you feel is right for you. I have a friend her name is Michelle she has been muslim now for about 11 or 12 years she has never changed her name. But she is a very good person and if you see her and her family how can you say she doesn’t have an islamic identity. They look like any other muslim family out there. She covers, prays, fasts, and all that good stuff. You mean to tell me because she doesn’t have a “muslim or islamic” name she isn’t one? A name doesn’t make you a good muslim nor a practicing one. You make yourself one by your outward and inwardly actions towards your Lord. Muslim Apple puts it well here in her post about reverting and going back to her name. Sister Ruth who is also a convert puts it well here. She too has had some struggles with this. But like she says in her post she likes the name Safiyyah because she was one of the wives of the Prophet (pbuh) and she relates to her. Very well written post.
Now I’m going to throw this out at ya what’s wrong with naming your child Jacob isn’t it the same thing as Yaqub? Why would it be wrong for me to name my child Gabriel instead of Jibreel? There really isn’t anything wrong with it is there. No. Both names mean the same exact thing. They just happen to be different forms of ones name. So who’s to say what you can name your child and what you can’t. Now I’m not saying just go out and name your child Brittanny, Tabitha, Tyrell, or Michealangelo now. But just use your common sense that Allah gave you. Do what you feel is right for you family. Look I’ll give you an example of some people I knew growing up. They have two names one they use at home and the other they use at school. They had English sounding names for school and work and they had Muslim sounding names for the muslim community to call them by. That’s why though they identity crisis as they got older. They had that schitzo attitude going out. They acted like muslims when using their muslim names and then acted like non muslims when out in society with their non islamic names. So you decide do you think your child would have more of an Islamic identity if he had the name Jim Bob or a name like Dawuud? For an adult having a name all his or her life is one thing. This is your choice but when it comes to naming your child it is a different story. I would in fact name my child an islamic name. So that he or she has a stronger Islamic heritage. I personally love arabic names but I also love the english versions to the arabic names. Especially the names of the prophets. I know many won’t agree with me. But this my opinion after all. And I’m entitled to that at least. If I have said anything that is not correct then please forgive me. May Allah guide us all to do what is right. Ameen.
