363. Do Names Have Any Effect On A Person

By Asma Bint Shameem

QUESTION?

*My child is always sick and crying. I think his name is “heavy” for him.*

*Should I change his name?*

ANSWER

This is a very common misconception, especially among people of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. 

They think that names have an effect on a person’s life, health or their destiny 

But that’s NOT a correct belief. 

It’s true that we’re are encouraged to name our children with those names that have good meanings.

And we should avoid names that have bad meanings. 

But that’s because the name might affect the *character* of a person, meaning the *’kind’* of person he is. 

And *not* because the name will make a person’s life easy or difficult or that he’ll have more problems in life just because of his “name”. 

That’s why the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam changed some of the names of the Sahaabah who had 

names with bad meanings to names with good meanings.

Ibn al-Musayyab said that his father came to the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam and he said, “What is your name?” 

He said, 

“Hazn (meaning rough).” 

He said, 

“You are Sahl (meaning easy).” 

He said, 

“I will not change the name that my father gave to me.” 

Ibn al-Musayyab said, 

“And we have had roughness (in character) ever since.” 

[al-Bukhaari (6190)]

And “Ibn ‘Umar radhi Allaahu anhumaa said that a daughter of ‘Umar was called ‘Aasiya عاصية (disobedient), but the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam renamed her Jameelah (beautiful).” [Muslim, 2139]

Ibn al-Qayyim said:  

“Because names have meanings, these meanings will inevitably have an effect on the person who carries the name. 

Names have an effect on the things that are named, and the things that are named have an effect on their names, whether they are beautiful or ugly, light or heavy, subtle or crude.” [Zaad al-Ma’aad, 2/336]

Shaykh Abu Zayd said:

“The name connects the newborn to the guidance and etiquette of Islaam, so the child will be blessed and his name will be a reminder of the one after whom he is named such as a Prophet or righteous slave of Allaah, so as to follow the example of the righteous forebearers, preserving their names, remembering their attributes, and so as to perpetuate a chain of righteousness in future generations of the ummah.” [Tasmiyat al-Mawlood (25)]

Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Kareem Al-Khudayr said:

“A name does not have any effect on a person's character, apart from reflecting *optimism* for him. 

On this basis, one should give one’s children good names and not give bad names. 

So we should use names like ‘Abd-Allaah (“slave of Allaah”), ‘Abd al-Rahmaan (“slave of the Most Merciful”), Muhammad, Ahmad, etc., and we should not use names which have bad meanings, such as Sa’b (difficult), etc.”

However, to believe that the name has an effect on the “destiny” of a child or that the name is causing hardships for them or that a particular name is “heavy” on the child is NOTHING but superstition, and associating bad omens with the name. 

And that’s NOT allowed in our Deen. 

Our names do not have any effect on our fate or life. 

And our names have nothing to do with sickness or problems that come our way. 

Believing that my name can affect me and my future is a form of superstition and comes under the rulings of ‘Tiyarah’ (belief in omens). 

And Tiyarah is SHIRK. 

May Allaah protect us. 

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“Tiyarah (belief in evil omens) is shirk.” 

(Abu Dawood- saheeh by al-Albaani)

Whatever good or bad that will happen in my life has *already been written* by Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala LONG before I was born and whether I’m named Asma or Fatimah or Sumaayyah is not going to change that it any way. 

Even if my name was something totally different, whatever was written for me, would still reach me no matter what. 

*Even if I didn’t have a name at all, my life would still be the same.*

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if Allaah had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if Allaah had written so. 

The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry.”

(Tirmidhi-saheeh)

And he said:

“Everything has a reality, and the servant will not reach the reality of faith until he knows that what afflicted him could never miss him, and that what missed him could never have afflicted him.” (Ahmad- saheeh by al-Albaani) 

And Allaah knows best