Changing a name

icadams

Junior Member
Assalamu Alaykum,

Since my reversion to Islam I have been considering changing my name. I would love to hear the opinion of others on this as well as hearing from any one who has gone through the legal process in the United States.

I should note that my name does not have any bad connotations, so I am not considering the change for that reason. I am thinking of changing it only as a symbol of faith.

Thanks.
 

Hard Rock Moslem

I'm your brother
Congrat for your reversion brother.

Sorry, I can't help on the legal process as I'm not frm US.

Just a suggestion brother, better change your name though your existing name do not have any bad connotations. See Cat Stevens changed name to Yusof Islam...what a beautiful name. Arabic is the language of the jannah so if you have arabic name that would be better. You may attach your existing name with an arabic name also.
 

Yusuf1990

al-Inglezi
Wa'alaikum asalaam warahmatullaahi wabaraakathu,

Praise be to Allah Who guided you in His Mercy to Islam, wallahu akbar.

I myself was guided to the Deen of al-Islam, I changed my name also. I didn't need to as my previous name was fine, I did it to give myself more of an Islamic identity. Some scholars say that to change your name (when there is no need) is a good thing, as it distinguishes you from the kuffar (non-Muslims). I agree with this, although we know that you don't have to do it and that changing your name is a big thing and could be a huge problem if you changed your mind a year or two down the line.
I adopted a name (unofficaily) for about 6 months and used it for everything, after that I made it official by going through a legal process here in the UK, it was quick, easy and simple - all praise be to Allah.
I kept my family name however, as this is pretty important. I changed my first and middle names, of which you can see just to the left above my avator.

Hope that helps in some way :S :p

and may Allah guide you to success in your decisions, ameen :)
 

LaLa09

♥Amor vincit omnia♥
Legally changing your name in the states is not that hard, however the waiting period is kinda long (a month), and you have to pay a fee about $40 for advertisement in the local paper for a notice of name change, and $89 for filing the paperwork. Then you see a judge and swear on oath that you have never used the name before and your reasoning for changing your name and there you have it! Here is a website to help you out if you decide to change your name http://newlastname.org/

I like your name btw, its nice =)
 

runayrus

Yearning Slave
:salam2:

I am a born Muslim but changed my name to a better name.(the former was a name of a Hindu deity =( but it also means the sun)

All the best sister/brother, Insya-Allah everything will be smooth sailing.

:wasalam:
 

Sanaa01

Muslima
Assalamu Alaykum,

Since my reversion to Islam I have been considering changing my name. I would love to hear the opinion of others on this as well as hearing from any one who has gone through the legal process in the United States.

I should note that my name does not have any bad connotations, so I am not considering the change for that reason. I am thinking of changing it only as a symbol of faith.

Thanks.



Asalamo Alaik Brother
I see that you live in Riverside CA as me I have just changed my last name to my maiden name and this is the forms I filled and took to the court in downtown Riverside you will also need to pay a fee to the court unless you qualify for a waver than you wont have to pay anything they will give you a list of local news paper so you pick one to publish you new name for four weeks, they will give you a date to show up in front of the judge and after he signs the form you are done
You take the form that judge signed to DMV to change your first name on your ID or drivers license and you do the same with other documents like passport social security etc…
I hope this helps and good luck
 

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Unleashed

New Member
Warm greetings, ICAdams.

I was thinking of changing my name also, but I read the following (from somewhere on this site), and now I am giving it further thought before changing. We must be sensitive to the feelings of our parents who chose our names for us with love in their hearts.

Please remember the following is a quote, and I do not necessarily agree with all of it, but it is food for thought.

"The original converts to Islam at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) usually kept the Arabic name they always had. The only exceptions were people who had a name with unpleasant or pagan connotations. So-called "Muslim names" are, in the main, simply Arabic ones or traditional names from countries that were early adopters of Islam. There is no requirement for a new Muslim to adopt one of these.

While I respect the choice of those Muslim converts who have adopted a new name, I expect all Muslims to respect the right of other converts such as myself to retain their original name. I generally now use my "real" name. Sadly I have come under pressure from some ignorant born Muslims on this matter.

To be frank, I feel that adopting a "muslim name", makes it easier for one's existing circle of family and friends to dismiss one's conversion to Islam as an act of eccentricity which they can brush off. By changing one's name and starting to wear, say, Pakistani clothing, one confirms in their minds the foreignness or alien nature of what is supposed to be universal Islam. I believe that these actions, or dare I say distractions, make it harder for most people from non-Muslim countries to identify with Islam, the welcoming and inclusive universal religion open to all, and see how it could be relevant to their own lives.

The spiritually motivated western convert to Islam, whose Islam is centered on God not agitation, has a golden opportunity to depoliticize the widespread negative western perception of Islam and to diminish the impression that Islam is for strange, backward, sometimes frightening foreigners--Arabs and Asians--but not for westerners. In my view, this opportunity is thrown away or at the very least is hobbled by self-inflicted damage when a western convert unnecessarily adopts a foreign name and clothing, thus only reinforcing the preconceived notions and prejudices that non-Muslim fellow westerners tend to hold about Islam.

I think it is also important to bear in mind here the teaching of Islam with regard to one's duty to family, particularly one's parents even if they are themselves non-Muslims. "Your Lord had decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you are kind to parents whether one or both of them attain old age in your lifetime. Say not to them a word of contempt or repel them but address them in terms of honor..."

I felt that it was important that my parents who are both practicing Catholics should realize that I was not rejecting them, my upbringing or most of the things they held dear.... In my case, I felt that abandoning for no good reason the very name given me by my loving parents would have been straining the ties of relationship, creating displeasure and certainly not indicative of showing kindness to or taking friendly care of my mother and father. "He who wishes to enter paradise at the best gate, must please his father and mother.""

I myself had planned to legally change my name, but now I think that would unnecessarily offend my parents. Instead, I will use my muslim name with my muslim friends, and let my family continue to call me by my birth name. Perhaps I will change it after their death, if I feel it is important. For now, however, harmony in the family is more important to me.

Food for thought!

:hijabi:
 

ama6621

Junior Member
Assalamu Alaikum,
Sister Unleashed, I really liked your response. Indeed it is food for thought.

Assalamu Alaikum
 
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