Names of Boys Mentioned in the Quran
The Quran highlights the names of twenty-five prophets, including: Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Elisha, Jonah, Lot, Jacob, Job, Joseph, Aaron, David, Solomon, Ezekiel, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jethro, Hud, Saleh, Elias, Zechariah, John, and Idris, peace be upon them all. Additionally, the revered companion Zaid ibn Haritha is the only companion mentioned among the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), along with Imran, the father of Aaron.
The Rulings on Naming a Newborn Before Birth
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised his followers to name their newborns on the seventh day following their birth. It is generally discouraged to assign a name to a child before their birth, as it may leave the name without a designated bearer. However, this is not explicitly prohibited, although it is preferable for parents to adhere to the Prophetic tradition in this matter.
The Prophet’s Tradition in Choosing Names
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) placed great importance on selecting meaningful and beautiful names. He would even change names that connoted ugliness or negativity. The Prophet made a connection between names and their meanings, often reflecting on the implications of names. For instance, he referred to the tribe of Ghifar as “Allah pardoned them” and the tribe of Aslam as “Allah granted them safety.” Notably, Allah changed the name of the city from Yathrib to Taibah, as Yathrib conveyed unfavorable meanings. It is also mentioned that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used patronymics with his companions; he referred to his wife Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) as the “Mother of Abdullah” and nicknamed Ibn Mas’ud as “Father of Abdur Rahman” even before he had children. It is permissible for an individual to hold multiple patronymics, similar to how the Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) as both “Father of Dust” and “Father of Hasan.”