FatwaFederal TerritoriesEthics, Remembrance & Supplication
AL-KAFI #1399: PERLUKAH MENUKAR NAMA JIKA DIDAPATI MAKSUDNYA KURANG BAIK
Must a person change their name if its meaning is found to be undesirable?
Short answer
Using a name with an undesirable meaning is disliked (makruh), and it is recommended to change it to a better one, following the Prophet's practice of changing the names of some companions.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Ethics, Remembrance & Supplication
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Using a name with an undesirable meaning is disliked (makruh), and it is recommended to change it to a better one, following the Prophet's practice of changing the names of some companions. If the name is among those prohibited in Islam, such as names that make one a servant of someone other than Allah, changing it is obligatory. Parents are advised to choose good names and to consult scholars if they do not know a name's meaning.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Oleh itu, dapat difahami bahawa menggunakan nama-nama yang kurang elok adalah makruh dan sunat menukarnya.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #1399: PERLUKAH MENUKAR NAMA JIKA DIDAPATI MAKSUDNYA KURANG BAIK”, 16 October 2019. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/3743-al-kafi-1399-perlukah-menukar-nama-jika-didapati-maksudnya-kurang-baik. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/must-change-name-undesirable-meaning/