Can I Name My Daughter Nyla?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: I named my daughter Nyla (Na’ilah) because of the nice meaning (one who achieves, winner) and also the personality of the wife of Uthman (RA). However, I was recently informed that this is not a good name because this was the name of one of the idols that the mushrikeen used to worship and that it also was the name of someone who had committed zina in the Kabah before Islam and so Allah punished her by turning her into stone. I was also told that it has no meaning and that this wife of Uthman (RA) was not Muslim. Can you please advise if Nyla is a good name to give a girl.

JazakAllah Khair

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah

I pray that you are well, insha’Allah.

No, you should not change her name.

Naming your daughter Na’ilah is fine, and has precedence in the sunna as a number of the female Companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) had this name. From amongst them: Na’ilah bint Salamah al-Ansariyya and Na’ilah bint Sa`d.

It is irrelevant that one of the idols of the polytheists may have had this name.

May Allah make her of the foremost of the righteous. Amin.

And Allah alone gives success.

Wassalam

Tabraze Azam