What are the best names for sons?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In Islam, we are encouraged to give good and meaningful names to our children. Nabi Salallāhu Alayhi Wasallam said :

“Indeed you shall be called on the day of Qiyaamah with your names and the names of your fathers, so give good names to yourselves”.[1]

The best names are those which have good meanings . It is advisable to keep names of the Prophets and the Sahaaba .

Some suitable names for son's are referred to in the following hadith:

“Call yourselves by the names of the Prophets and the most beloved names to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur Rahman, the truest are Harith and Hammam” [2]

Abdullah means ‘servant of Allah’ and Abdur Rahman means ‘servant of the Merciful One’. These two names have also been mentioned in the Qur’an; Allah Taa'la says:

Translation :“...and the servants of the Merciful One”[3]

In Surah Jin, Allah Taa'la says:

Translation : “...and when the servant of Allah stood up in pray to Him”[4]

Muhammad Salallāhu Alayhi Wasallam is the leader of all of mankind. The other prophets were also leaders. They were leaders of their respective nations. Keeping any name of a prophet would be suitable.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Ahmad Patel

Student Darul Iftaa

South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.