What is the meanings of the given names? Which names are advisable?

Slms Mufti Saheb can you please tell me what the meanings of these names are and which names are advisable to keep.

Names:

Abu Bakr / Raihan / Adam / Azhar / Yusuf / Sulaiman

Romana / Hajirah / Samara / Ahlam / Amara

Please can you answer this urgently as my cousin is due to give birth anytime and wants to name the baby? Shukran.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

Indeed you shall be called on the day of Judgement with your names and the names of your fathers, so give good names to yourselves[1].

It is advisable for one to keep names of Prophets (peace be upon them), Companions of Prophet (peace be upon him), and pious predecessors[2].

The meanings of the names in question are as follows[3]:

Abu Bakr – Name of the first Caliph and the Prophets companion

Raihan – Sweet basil; mercy and sustenance from Allah

Adam – Name of the first Prophet

Azhar – Most shining, radiant, bright, luminous

Yusuf – Name of a Prophet

Sulaiman – Name of a Prophet

Romana – Pomegranate

Hajirah – the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)

Samara – Soft light in colour

Ahlam – Prudent, imaginative, witty

Ammara – pious, devout, indulgent, tolerant

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Hanif Yusuf Patel

Student Darul Iftaa
UK

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net