Date : 05-09-2012

Question :

Who has the right to choose a name for a newborn?


The Answer :

Praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds ;and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all His Family and companions.



Choosing a name for a newborn is the father`s right and he has precedence over the mother in doing so because he is the guardian of that baby. However, it is desirable that parents sit together and agree on a good name to their baby, and avoid making this matter a cause for dispute since Allah, The Almighty, said: " who (conduct) their affairs by mutual Consultation" {Ash-shura/38}.



Moreover, it was stated in [Nehayat al-Mohtajj], a Shafiee's book: "Choosing a name to the newborn is the right of the guardian, starting from the father-even if he wasn`t obliged to provide for the child due to his poverty-to the grandfather." In addition, it was stated in the Maliki book [Menah al-Jaleel Shareh Khaleel]: "Choosing a name to the newborn is the right of the father." Also, it was stated in the Hanbali book [Al-Ensaf]: "Choosing a name to the newborn is the right of the father, not the mother." And Allah knows best.