Salaam. Is there any significance with second name or middle name in Islam. Is it recommended to have a middle name with good meaning or is it not necessary.
Answer
Alaikumassalaam wa rahmatullah,
No, second names or middle names have no significance in Islam and they are non-existent in Arab culture. The vast majority of Arab Muslims have just one name, such as Ahmad or Muhammad, and no other name. Their "second name" is the name of their father, and their third name the name of their grandfather, and so on. A person himself or herself does not have two names, they only have one name. But in official documents and to differentiate between two people whose names are Muhammad, for example, their name is written or said along with their father and grandfather's name.
For this reason you do not need to have a second name, even though some cultures do it, like Desi culture. This is completely optional and it is a cultural preference, it is not part of Islam.
Reader Comments:
on Friday 9th of December 2016 08:43:56 PM
Do you have to have your fathers name even if he hasnt been a father
on Saturday 21st of October 2017 03:14:06 PM
Would you be able to have Tanya as a middle name?
on Saturday 21st of October 2017 03:15:08 PM
Would you be able to have Tanya or Tania as a middle name?
on Thursday 13th of June 2019 04:48:35 AM
What are some Muslim baby middle names for girls I have a hard time finding some on the internet specifically “Middle names for muslim girls”
on Tuesday 3rd of September 2019 06:37:17 AM
Jazakumullahu khairan, what of middle name as a nick name?
on Saturday 6th of March 2021 07:03:05 PM
This is complete BS. Since when was aran culture the definition of Islam????
on Saturday 6th of March 2021 07:07:34 PM
This is BS. Since when was Arab culture Islamic and when was the definition of Islamic Arab???? You can keep as many names and they all have significance Islamically. The prophet had way more than 2 names and they all had significance. Any Arab who thinks that Islam is the same as arab culture is an Arab supremacist. Islam is a way of life that many Arabs struggle to follow, and in fact, they look up to western culture nowadays and have a colour complex.
on Monday 27th of June 2022 11:42:29 PM
As Salam Alaikum,
B.S. Arab Supremacist? Brother, you are helping the Ummah, to select Islamic names and using this kind of language? Are you helping Allah or helping the Shaitan?