Baby Names Honouring Companions of the Prophet
Names and Roles of Men Surrounding the Messenger
In choosing a name for a baby boy, parents may choose a one from a grand selection that honours Muslim men throughout history. Choosing a good name for a child is mandatory upon all expecting parents.
On the Day of Resurrection, you will be called by your names and by your fathers” names, so give yourselves good names." (Hadith Abu Dawud).
Besides names of men from the Prophet’s household and the four rightful Caliphs, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon all of them) was fortunate to have been surrounded with other companions who were steadfast in their faith.
Here are just a handful of them. Their names colour Islamic history and are great names for baby boys today.
The Name Abdullah
Abdullah means “Servant of Allah” and was the name of many of Prophet Muhammad”s companions.
Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum embraced Islam as one of the first Muslims. He was also blind, yet insisted to fight alongside the Muslims in battle – his rationale that his blindness would stop him from running away.
Another companion went by the name of Abdullah bin Rauf who also dedicated his life to serving Islam.
The Name Abdur-Rahman
Abdur-Rahman is another one of the praiseworthy names. It means “slave of the most Gracious.”
Abdur-Rahman was the name of Abu Hurayrah, a wise companion who had the penchant for narrating Hadith. The title Abu Hurayrah was given to him by the Prophet, with the meaning “father of kittens.” Abu Hurayrah was reported to have been accompanied by a kitten at all times.
Another companion of the same name was Abdur-Rahman ibn Awl. Abdur-Rahman was a poor man but worked his way to wealth, spending most of it on Muslims of that time and taking care of Prophet’s family after he passed away.
The Name Amr
Amr is a popular Arab name. It means “prince”.
Amr al-As was one of the staunchest enemies of Islam and had tried to sabotage the good relations between Muslims and Christians in Abyssinia. He even headed an entourage in the Battle of Uhud in violent attempts to destroy the Muslim community. After years of observing the peaceful call to Islam by those he previously abused, Amr relented and embraced the faith.
History relates that Amr founded Fustat, the capital of Egypt in AD 641 and founded a Masjid there –- the first in continental Africa.
The Name Anas
Anas was a young companion of the Prophet. The name Anas means “sociable” and this can be seen through Anas bin Malik’s rather jovial narrations of Hadith.
Anas was a young boy when he learned about Islam and it was through his youth that he managed to memorise the traditions and sayings, record them and relay them to Muslims today.
The Name Bilal
Bilal is the name of the first muezzin of Islam. The muezzin – or the caller of the adhan – is heard marking the five daily prayers for Muslims.
Bilal bin Rab’ah was an Ethiopian slave who was emancipated by Abu Bakr Siddique. He rose to become one of the leaders of the Muslims at that time. He was later elected to become the community’s muezzin as he was known to have the most beautiful voice of that time.
The Name Khalid
Khalid, in Arabic, means “eternal.”
Khalid was one of the closest alliances with Amr al-As – before and after they embraced Islam together. After tireless ostracising of the Muslims, Khalid had taken a step back and took time to learn about the faith. He embraced Islam after an emotional and personal emigration from Makkah to Madinah.
Khalid’s reversion was a moral victory for Muslims and he later rose to rank of Commander in the army, earning him the title of “Sword of Allah.”
Companions of the Prophet
The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings upon them all) represent the iconic men and women of Islamic history. In this instance, in choosing a name for a new born baby boy, parents may opt to select a name of one of the Prophet’s loyal comrades. All of their names have good meaning, and more importantly each one of them played important roles in the development and success of the Islamic faith.
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