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Fatwa CenterNames should not be changed based on superstition
Question
ASLAM-O-ALAIKAM,My son's name is Muhammad Nehan(we call him nehan). I have noticed that the meaning of his name is secret/ hidden. He doesn't mix with people and has not started talking though he is 3 years old. I am really worried and depressed to a point where i can collapse anytime. I want to know if the name has any effects on the personality. If it does effect, then can i change the name of my son. The biggest problem however, is that he recognised his name and changing his name might result in creating more confusion for him. If there is a similar sounding name which has good meaning and liked by Rasool ALLAH(|SAW), then please recommed.Please help and advise on how to change his name in a way which doesn't result in total confusion.I hope you will reply as soon you can and help this helpless father. May ALLAH SUBHANAWATALLAH bless you and your family.JAZAKALLAH
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
It is possible for a name to have a psychological effect on the person who has it; however, this is not necessarily the case all the time. We have previously highlighted in Fatwa 87029 that it is permissible to change a name for a valid benefit and we also underlined that changing names because of superstition or because the name could have a bad effect on the person's personality is not a valid reason. We advise you to leave your son's name unchanged, because its meaning does not have any bad connotation which entails changing it.
The fact that your son does not like interacting with people may be normal for his age and this could change as he grows older. However, if you believe that he is likely to be in need of specialist consultation, then there is no harm in doing so; or that he is in need of Ruqyah (Quranic healing), then it should be performed, because Ruqyah is beneficial in all cases, Allaah willing. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 88705.
Allaah Knows best.
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