Changing Names

[ummtaalib]

1. The name must be meaningful

2.On the day of judgment a person will be called by his or his parents name

3. Allah, the Exalted likes best the name Abdullah and Abdurahman

4. Prophet (SAW) always changed names (to good meaning ones) that are found to be derogatory

5. Select name that signify servitude to Allah alone and no one else

 

6. Better to keep a name of Prophet (primarily) or of some pious individual

Keeping all this in mind one can retain their entire names prior to conversion if there is no negative conotation associated with the names. However often some finds adopting or arabising the first name helps personally as well as socially. It is important that you are known to be muslim by the community you live in as well as by your relative who you feel to be at ease with. Usage of the term 'Bint / Ibn / Abu/ Umm' is Arabic custom, generally not employed by non Arabic Muslims as the emphasis is on the self rather than family members.
 

Some examples of Muslim names of converts with last/family name retained

 

David Burns to Dawud Burns,

Yassin Dutton

Ayisha Beweley
Sarah Joseph

Abdasamad Clark

Abdur Rahim Green

Yusuf Chamber