What's in a name?

In those ancient ages, rulers name their heirs after their names (e.g. King Edward II, III, IV so on and so forth). The same goes to the Malay Sultanate, such as Sultan Muhammad I, II, III… up to the certain numbers their found sufficient enuff to emphasize on the succession (at least that’s what I believe).

Perhaps those days not many name existed. In fact, some newborns are named after how they looked like the minute they came into the world. As simple as Jantan (manly), Hitam (black), Putih/ Puteh (white) or Huduh/ Hudoh (ugly)--- it was a kinda no no to name one as Cantik despite the babies being so cute and beautiful. Hmmm I wonder why they were so much in denial for good things?

Anyway, there’s an evolution to giving names to babies.

Gone were the days that parents named them after their appearance. Most parents nowadays were so excited to give up to 3, 4 words of names to one baby. Macam dah tak reti sangat nak shortlist gamaknye!

Or prolly they were so excited bcoz they have a one-word name that they want to include all in one in their kids’ names?

1. A good name like Muhammad/Ahmad/Khairul/Nur to name a few
2. Combination of parents’ names
3. The kid’s own name (one or two words)
4. The family/parents’ name to be carried

Bin or Binti

The dad’s name.

Whew! That’s a long one!

If it’s a boy, he better practice a lot prior to the solemnization (akad nikah) ceremony.

I had a schoolmate whose name has …..(wait, lemme count)….8 words as I could remember. The same goes to her other siblings. Hahaha.

And it’s undeniable that she needed a longer time to write down her names, esp. during exams… She’d still be writing her names and have the OMR form darkened for each alphabets, while we have started answering the exam questions.

In another case, people with long names have the tendency to have problems completing any forms, as the boxes are for average-length names. Pity, eh?

And if u give such long, beautiful names, why call them with only one syllable of the names? Aiyaaa…buang karen je.

Oh yeah…back to the main topic, not only that parents pick long names, they also come up with bombastic names. Ahoy! X hengat punya nama…. (e.g. Rumplestiltskin--- contoh je!) :P

With difficult spelling, U might have a tongue twist while pronouncing their names! Ooo… I hope teachers in the futures will not be sued for pronouncing the students’ names incorrectly.

I also realize that there’s a trend nowadays to name the mollycoddles with a pseudo-Englishman name. I myself did the same to my first mini-me, Adam. But it’s a universal name, ain’t it? It’s a prophet’s name.

But the ones I’ve found here and there were like the Mat Salleh wannabes… trying hard to make it sound (Cewah!) like one. Huh! Tak agak-agak.

Hmmm… don’t the parents know the adab to name the kids?

That day, while watching a TV programme, I saw this kid’s name..Keanudin. WTF?

Oh yes…the mom drooled over Keanu Reeves during pregnancy? Kot ye pun, please la put some efforts to find the meaning, esp. when it’s combined with ‘Din’ (the religion).

In another encounter, while having meals at the Pizza Hut some few weeks ago, I saw this schoolgirl coming into the outlet with her parents. She was still in her school uniform, so, I could read what’s on her name tag. I tell u what, I had to glimpse twice! I might not know a lot, but my Arabic knowledge still can't translate what it means (esp. with that kind of spelling).

Let’s have some fun…checking on celebrity’s babies’ names….(got this in the email)

AC Mizal & Emylia Rosnaida - Muhammad Reeve Damien
Achik Spin - Puteri Rania
Aishah - Armand Azhari & Azhad Ahlami
Ameng Spring & A.Aida - Wan Az Aleesa & Wan Eva Natasha
Amy Mastura - Adrianna & Adalia
Amy Search - Nabila Huda, Irisha Myra Shasha, Alexander Zulkarnain & Sania Samara
Anne Ngasri - Muhammad Warits
Awie & Arni Nazira - Puteri Aleeya Antasha & Puteri Aleefa Antasha
Azhar Sulaiman - Kasih Leia Ixora, Andika Rees Pahamin & Kasih Iris Leona
Aznil Nawawi - Fildza Haifa Fifi & Fariq HaizenRiki
Azza Elite - Marissa Jannah
Baggio Damasutra - Adlina Asryya & Muhammad Danish Ramadhan
Datuk Jins Shamsuddin - Putera Hang Jebat
Edry Kru - Emil & Edylia
Esma Daniel - Harith Daniel, Habib Daniel, Hadif Daniel, Damia Sari & Dalea Sari
Faizal Hussien & Suhaila - Fazryn
Fauziah Latiff - Jeffrey Joaqium Indot & Jeremy Jay Indot
Haleeda - Amirah Amani
Hana Elite - Aaron Daniel & Alayna Daniella
Jamal Abdillah - Osama Yamani
Linda Rafar - Rezaril Keiflin & Rezaimen Keiflin
Liza Hanim - Marsya Qistina
Nassier Wahab - Najihah Fatihah
Nora - Muhammad Shaqir Iman, Muhammad Shaqir Aliff & Puteri Dahlia
Norman Hakim & Abby Abadi - Mohamed Danish Hakim & Marissa Dania Hakim
Nurul & Ajai - Ayu Nazirah
Raja Ema - Putera Ammar & Putera Ihsan
Ridzuan Hashim & Didie Alias - Nur Dania, Muhammad Daniel, Nur Dinie & Nur Diana
Rohana Jalil - Rosella Rosell, Shakira Edora & Syakila Nisha
Rusdi Ramli - Effiezal Ridza
Safura - Natasha & Muhammad Daniel Khaqim
Salwa - Puteri Sulaika & Puteri Sufrie Nizam
Shamsul Ghau Ghau - Megat Ummar Azhar
Sharifah Shahira & Ijoy - Alyssa & Airel
Sheila Rusly - Uzair Haqimy & Luth Mikhail
Sheril Aida - Nur Tania, Muhammad Hazrul Andika, Nur Puteri
Sofea Jane - Arissa, Khadeja & Soraya
Watie Elite - Muhammad Afif
Yantzen - Muhammad Aliff Ronan
Zainal Abidin - Mikhail & Timur
Zami Ismail - Mohd Hitler

Ziana Zain - Muhammad Aiman & Muhammad Ammar
Ziela Jalil - Puteri Julia Nabilah & Megat Jufri Nasrullah

What do u think?

Those ancient days, our parents were not exposed enough on the how-to’s of naming us. So, please excuse them.

But hello…in this era, we have books, magazines and thousands of websites to assist u. So, avoid being clustered in the jahil group just bcoz of ur ignorance.

We would be called in the Padang Mahsyar by our names, therefore, give good names to our beloved ones…and call them by the name they like.

Rasulullah SAW bersabda: "Namakan dengan nama para nabi, dan nama yang paling Allah suka ialah nama Abdullah dan Abdurrahman dan nama yang paling benar ialah Harits dan Humaam dan nama yang paling buruk ialah Harb dan Murrah. " (HR. Abi Wahab Al-Jasyimi).

Para ulama sepakat mengharamkan semua nama yang mengabdikan selain dari Allah SWT seperti Abdul Uzza, Abdul Ka'abah dan lain-lain. Nama yang makruh yang perlu dihindari iaitu Yasar, Rabah, Najah, Aflah dan Barakah. Nabi SAW melarang umatnya menamakan anak dengan nama-nama tersebut.

Isabelle? Oh that’s just a nick that my Taiwanese friend used to call me, bcoz she found it hard to pronounce my real name. And like most people, I don’t intend to use my real name on the web… due to security purposes.

Whatever it is, while choosing names for your juniors, please check for the meaning and the right spelling in Arabic. Failure to do so might result in their names to have a bad meaning… such as Zalilah (with a Zai or Zho), etc.etc.

Good luck! May our simple efforts get the blessings from Him.