Looking for a beautiful Muslim name for your baby? Browse our list of popular Islamic boy and girl names with Arabic spelling and meanings — including names of Prophets, Sahaba and the family of the Prophet ﷺ. Search by name or meaning, filter A to Z, save your favourites and share them with your family on WhatsApp.
How to choose a good Islamic name
A name stays with a child for life, so Islam encourages parents to choose a name with a good meaning. The Prophet ﷺ said that the names most beloved to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur Rahman (Sahih Muslim 2132). Names that show servitude to Allah — such as Abdul Hadi, Abdul Karim or Abdul Basit — names of Prophets, and names of the righteous Sahaba and Sahabiyat are all excellent choices.
- Choose a good meaning: the Prophet ﷺ changed names that had a bad or unsuitable meaning.
- Avoid names reserved for Allah: Allah’s attributes like Al-Khaliq or Ar-Rahman are used with “Abdul/Abdur” before them (Abdul Khaliq, Abdur Rahman), not on their own.
- Keep it easy to say: a name that is simple to spell and pronounce works well in Pakistan and abroad.
- Check the meaning: some popular modern names have unclear meanings — if unsure, ask a scholar.
When should a baby be named?
It is Sunnah to name the baby on the seventh day along with the aqiqah and shaving of the head, as the Prophet ﷺ said: every child is in pledge for his aqiqah, to be slaughtered on the seventh day, his head shaved and he be named (Sunan an-Nasa’i 4220). Naming earlier, even on the day of birth, is also permitted.
Meanings are given as commonly understood by scholars of Arabic; some names have more than one accepted meaning. Read more Islamic guides in our Islamic section.