Names to think twice about

This is 'Abd' (servant) followed only by a tribal name (from the Aslam tribe), so it is incomplete and does not name Allah. A servant-name should always be joined to Allah or one of His names.

Better choice: Abdullah

Abd al-Harith means 'servant of al-Harith'. Abd should be joined only to a name of Allah, and some reports link this name to Iblis's whispering to Adam and Hawwa.

Better choice: Abdullah

The name means 'servant of al-Jadd', and al-Jadd is not one of Allah's names. Scholars hold that a person may only be called the servant ('Abd') of Allah or one of His names. A Companion carried it from before Islam, but that does not make it a good choice today.

Better choice: Abdul Jalil

Abd Awf means 'servant of Awf', and Awf is not a name of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ renamed Companions who had such names, e.g. Abdur Rahman ibn Awf's pre-Islamic servant-name was changed to Abdur Rahman.

Better choice: Abdur Rahman

Abd Khayr means 'servant of goodness'. Names starting with Abd should be joined only to a name of Allah, and Khayr is not one of His names.

Better choice: Abdullah

Abd Qays means 'servant of Qays'. Abd should be joined only to a name of Allah.

Better choice: Abdul Qayyum

Abd Yalil means 'servant of Yalil', a pre-Islamic deity of the Thaqif tribe. Abd should be joined only to a name of Allah.

Better choice: Abdullah

Abd al-Muttalib means 'servant of al-Muttalib', joining Abd to a person rather than to Allah. It was the name of the Prophet's grandfather, and a few scholars tolerate it for that reason, but most say Abd should be joined only to a name of Allah.

Better choice: Abdullah

Akkal means 'glutton' or 'great eater'. It describes a bad habit and invites teasing.

Al-Ashar means 'arrogant, insolent'. The Quran (54:25) uses this root to describe a boastful liar, so the meaning is clearly negative.

Al-Asi means 'the disobedient'. The Prophet ﷺ changed names like al-As/al-Asi (for example to Muti', 'obedient'), as reported in Sunan Abu Dawud.

Better choice: Muti

Al-Awra means 'one-eyed', a physical defect. Naming a child after a defect is disliked, and the known bearer was a daughter of Abu Jahl.

Al-Khatal means 'foolish or babbling speech'. It is also tied to Ibn Khatal, an apostate who was executed after the conquest of Makkah.

Al-Marida means 'rebellious, defiant'. The Quran (37:7) uses 'marid' for rebellious devils, so the meaning is bad.

Al-Mukhabbal means 'deranged' or 'mad'. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged names with good meanings, and this meaning is insulting for a child.

Anna means 'a groan' or 'moan', and the only known bearer was an effeminate man (mukhannath). For a boy in Urdu it also reads like a girl's name.

Aqraba means 'scorpion', a harmful creature. It is an unpleasant meaning for a child.

Bal'am (Balaam) is, according to many commentators, the man in Quran 7:175 who was given Allah's signs and then abandoned them. Naming a child after him is not recommended.

Dhubab means 'fly' (housefly), used in Quran 22:73 as an example of weakness.

Di'mus means a small worm-like water larva, an unpleasant meaning for a name.

Hadm means 'demolition' or 'tearing down'. Names should carry a good meaning, and this one is negative.

Hanash means 'snake'. Scholars discourage names with bad or frightening meanings, even though a Sahabi carried it.

Hayya means 'snake' (Quran 20:20). It should not be confused with Hayat (life), which is a good name.

Better choice: Hayat

Hayyaj means 'easily stirred up, fierce, riotous', a harsh meaning of agitation and violence.

Hit is known only as the name of an effeminate man whom the Prophet ﷺ sent out of the homes of Madinah, as reported in Sahih hadith. It has no good meaning of its own.

Humamah means 'charred coal' or 'ash'. The Prophet ﷺ preferred names with good meanings, and this one suggests burning.

Hurqus means a small biting insect, and Hurqus ibn Zuhayr is remembered as a leader of the Khawarij (identified with Dhul-Khuwaysirah).

Isaf was the name of a pagan idol of the Quraysh (the pair Isaf and Na'ilah). Naming a child after an idol is not suitable.

Izmah means 'crisis, hardship, famine'. Names should carry hope and good meaning, and this one means distress.

Jahsh means 'young donkey', which is an insult in Urdu-speaking culture.

Judayy' comes from 'jad'' (cutting off the nose or a limb) and means 'little mutilated one'. This is a bad meaning for a child.

Kunud means 'ungrateful'. The Quran (100:6) uses this word to say that man is ungrateful to his Lord, so it is a bad meaning for a child's name, even though a Companion woman bore it.

Better choice: Shakira

Lumaza means 'one who taunts and slanders'. Quran 104:1 says 'woe to every slanderer and taunter (lumaza)', so the meaning is condemned.

Muharriba comes from 'harb' (war) and means 'one who stirs up war'. The Prophet ﷺ said Harb (war) is among the most disliked names, and this name carries the same meaning.

Nabbash means 'one who digs up', and is used for a grave robber. This is an ugly meaning for a child, even though a Companion had this name.

Qabeel (Cain) was the son of Adam (AS) who murdered his brother Habeel, the first murder in history (story in Quran 5:27-31). Naming a child after him is not suitable.

Qatlah means 'killing', a bad meaning; the bearer's father was also named Abd al-Uzza (servant of the idol al-Uzza).

Qird means 'monkey'. The Quran (2:65) uses it for a people cursed and turned into apes, so the name is demeaning.

Sanam means 'idol' (the plural asnam is used in Quran 6:74 for idols). It is used for 'beloved' in Urdu poetry, but the root meaning is an idol, so it is not a suitable name.

Shijar means 'quarrel' or 'brawl'. A name meaning fighting is a bad meaning for a child.

Shutaym comes from 'shatm' (abuse, cursing) and means 'little abuse'. A name meaning insult is unsuitable.

Surm means 'cutting off' or 'severing ties'. Cutting family ties is condemned in Islam, so the meaning is negative.

Uthaymah is from 'ithm' (sin) and means 'little sinful one'. A name meaning sin is clearly unsuitable; the Prophet ﷺ is reported to have changed names with bad meanings.

Utrays means 'harsh, brutish, tyrannical'. This is a negative character trait and not suitable for a child's name.

Wahshi means 'wild, savage', and the name is strongly linked with the man who killed Hamza (RA), even though he later accepted Islam.

Yaghuth is the name of an idol worshipped by the people of Nuh (Quran 71:23). Idol names must not be used for Muslim children.

Yahmum means 'black smoke'. The Quran (56:43) uses it for the shade of black smoke in Hell, so it is a bad meaning.

Yathrib was the old name of Madinah, which the Prophet ﷺ replaced with Taybah/al-Madinah; the root is linked to blame and reproach, and in Quran 33:13 it is spoken by the hypocrites. It is a place name, not a personal name.

Better choice: Taybah

Abasa means 'frowning' or 'stern-faced'. The same verb opens Surah Abasa (80:1), which is a gentle rebuke, so the name reads poorly.

Better choice: Anbasa

Ahqab refers to a wild donkey with a pale belly. An animal name like this is not forbidden, but it is unattractive for a child.

Ahzab means 'the confederates', the enemy armies that besieged Madinah (Surah al-Ahzab, 33:20). It is a Quranic word, but it refers to the enemies of Islam.

Ajmad means 'harder, more frozen', and in Arabic it is also used for a stingy person. It also looks very close to 'Ahmad', which can cause confusion.

Better choice: Ahmad

Al-Haykal means 'a large frame or structure' and also a 'temple' (used for the Jewish Temple). In Urdu 'haikal' suggests a huge, bulky body.

Al-Hazhaz means 'one who shakes violently'. It is not forbidden, but the meaning is unappealing and the sound is odd in Urdu.

Al-Hutat means 'crumbs, scraps, debris', which is an unflattering meaning.

Al-Ja'd means 'curly-haired' but also 'miserly', and it recalls Ja'd ibn Dirham, an early heretic who was executed for his beliefs.

Al-Jamuh means 'unruly, headstrong'; the same root is used in Quran 9:57 for people rushing away in panic.

Al-Ma'rur means 'one afflicted' (also 'struck by mange'), a negative sense. The bearer was a trusted Tabi'i narrator in Bukhari and Muslim, but the meaning is still unappealing.

Al-Uryan means 'naked' or 'bare'. In Urdu 'uryan' is also used for nakedness and indecency, so it is unsuitable.

An-Nakkas means 'one who turns back or relapses'. Turning back on one's heels is used in the Quran for those who reject the truth, so the meaning is poor.

Aneesh is a Sanskrit name meaning 'supreme, having no lord above him', used as an epithet of Hindu gods (Vishnu/Shiva). It is not related to the Arabic name Anees.

Better choice: Anees

Arham means 'most merciful', a superlative used in the Quran for Allah ('Arham ar-Rahimeen', 7:151). Jamia Binoria and one Darul Uloom Deoband fatwa advise a different name, while another Deoband fatwa permits it, so scholars differ.

Better choice: Ahmad

Aruna means 'dawn' in Sanskrit, but it is also the name of a Hindu deity, the charioteer of the sun god Surya.

Arsh means the Throne of Allah (Quran 9:129). Darul Uloom Deoband has differing fatwas: one permits it, another advises changing it out of respect for the word.

In Persian and Urdu arzaan (ارزاں) means 'cheap'. It is often claimed online to mean 'precious', but that is wrong.

As-Sariyy means 'noble' (and a stream, Quran 19:24), which is good, but written in Urdu (سری) it reads as 'sirri' meaning secret, so it will be misread.

Asiyah (عاصیہ) means 'disobedient'; the Prophet ﷺ changed this name to Jamilah (Sahih Muslim 2139), and Dawat-e-Islami and the Malaysia Mufti call it makruh. It is different from Asiya (آسیہ), the righteous wife of Pharaoh, which is a fine name.

Better choice: Jamilah

Asram means 'one who cuts off'. The Prophet ﷺ changed this name to Zur'ah (Abu Dawud 4954).

Better choice: Zur'ah

Aysar means 'easier', and also 'left (side)' in Arabic. Jordan Iftaa says it is mildly disliked like Yasar (named in the Sahih Muslim hadith on such names), but keeping it is no sin.

In the Quran (6:74) Azar is the idol-worshipping father of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), and in Persian azar means fire, linked with Zoroastrian fire worship. It is common in Pakistan, but the associations are not good.

Azrael (Izrail) is the popular name of the angel of death; the Quran (32:11) mentions this angel without naming him. The Malaysia Mufti rules it makruh, and the name is avoided in practice because of its link to death.

Baghid means 'hateful, detested'. The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have changed it to Habib ('beloved'), and Dawat-e-Islami calls it makruh.

Better choice: Habib

Barakah means 'blessing', and Umm Ayman Barakah (RA) was the Prophet's nurse. Jordan Iftaa calls it mildly makruh because the Prophet ﷺ considered forbidding names like Barakah, Aflah and Najih, since 'Barakah is not here' sounds like 'there is no blessing here' (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Adab).

Barrah means 'righteous, pious woman', which is self-praise. The Prophet ﷺ changed the name Barrah to Zainab (Bukhari 6192, Muslim 2141) and also renamed Juwairiyah and Maimunah; Dawat-e-Islami, Jordan Iftaa and the Malaysia Mufti rule it makruh.

Better choice: Zainab

Unflattering meaning: Afflicted with leprosy or vitiligo (white-spotted). Unflattering meaning; Sahabiyah claim unverified

Buqaylah is the diminutive of baqlah, meaning 'little vegetable or herb', which reads oddly as a name.

Dabb means a desert lizard, which is unflattering as a name.

Dabba means a door latch and is also a tribe name. In Urdu it reads as 'dabba' (box/tin), so a child would be teased.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Bleeding (head wound). Unsuitable meaning; flagged Problematic.

Dirs means 'molar tooth'. It is not forbidden, but a body part is an odd meaning for a name.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: A broken, crumbling water trough. Name of a Sahabi

Dukhain means 'little smoke'. The Quran (44:10) mentions 'dukhan' (smoke) as a sign of punishment, and the meaning is unattractive for a child.

Esha has mixed meanings: 'desire' in Hindi/Sanskrit, the Arabic word for night (as in Isha prayer), or a short form of Aisha. Its meaning is unclear.

Better choice: Aisha

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Diminutive of faji': one struck by calamity or grief. Name of a Sahabi. Unpleasant meaning.

Fulfula means 'pepper'. It is odd as a name, and the -a ending sounds feminine for a boy.

Ghufayla is from 'ghaflah' (heedlessness) and means 'little heedless one'. The Quran warns against heedlessness, so the meaning is negative.

Hablah means 'vine' or 'rope' in Arabic, which is fine. But in Urdu 'hamila/habla' is linked with pregnancy, so a boy with this name may be teased.

Hajan means 'hook' or 'crookedness'. Crookedness is a negative meaning for a name.

Hamah means 'head' or 'owl'; pre-Islamic Arabs linked the owl to bad omens. The reported bearer was a jinn said to descend from Iblis, so the name has no good model.

In Arabic Hamal means 'lamb', but in Urdu 'hamal' means pregnancy, so the name would be embarrassing.

Hanfaa is a plural word ('upright ones'), not a normal personal name, and the claim that it was the name of Prophet Ismail's wife has no reliable basis.

Better choice: Haneefah

Hantab is linked to gathering firewood. It is not forbidden, but the meaning is plain and the sound is harsh in Urdu.

In Arabic Haram means 'sacred', and Haram ibn Milhan (RA) was a Sahabi of Badr. But in Urdu 'haram' means forbidden or unlawful, so the child is very likely to be teased.

Harb means 'war'. Ali (RA) first named his son Harb and the Prophet ﷺ renamed him Hasan (Musnad Ahmad, al-Adab al-Mufrad); Dawat-e-Islami and Egypt's Dar al-Ifta call it a bad, makruh name.

Better choice: Hasan

Harut is one of the two angels sent to Babylon as a test, linked in Quran 2:102 with teaching magic. Because of this link, it is not used as a baby name.

Hasakah means 'thorn', and figuratively 'spite' or 'grudge'. Both meanings are unpleasant for a child.

Hazn means 'rough ground' and 'sorrow'. The Prophet ﷺ asked Hazn to change his name to Sahl ('easy') (Bukhari 6190); Dawat-e-Islami, Egypt's Dar al-Ifta and the Malaysia Mufti call it makruh.

Better choice: Sahl

Hisl means 'a baby lizard', which is unflattering as a name.

The Prophet ﷺ changed the name al-Hubab (son of Abdullah ibn Ubayy) to Abdullah, saying Hubab is a name of Shaytan, and the word is also given as 'snake'; Dawat-e-Islami calls it makruh. Yet the Badri Sahabi Hubab ibn al-Mundhir (RA) kept the name, so scholars treat it as disliked rather than forbidden.

Better choice: Abdullah

Hubshi simply means 'Abyssinian/Ethiopian', but in Urdu 'Habshi' is often used as a racial insult. A child could be mocked with it.

Better choice: Bilal

Hurmuz is the Persian form of Ahura Mazda, the god of the Zoroastrian religion, and was the name of Persian kings, though a freedman of the Prophet ﷺ carried it.

Husayl is the diminutive of hisl, meaning 'little baby lizard', which is unflattering as a name.

Huyayy means 'little living one', but the name is best known from Huyayy ibn Akhtab, the Jewish chief of Banu Nadir who opposed the Prophet ﷺ. A Sahabi also had this name.

Better choice: Abdul Hayy

Ilaj means 'treatment' or 'remedy', which is not a bad meaning. The only issue is that in Urdu it is an everyday medical word, so it sounds odd as a name.

Irak means 'jostling' or 'scuffling', a mildly negative meaning. Urdu readers will also confuse it with the country Iraq.

Ishaan is a Sanskrit name meaning 'lord, ruler', used as an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva.

Israel (Israaeel) is the Quranic title of Prophet Yaqub (AS), so the meaning is fine, but today it is strongly linked to the State of Israel and is almost never used as a name in Pakistan, which may cause trouble for the child.

Better choice: Yaqub

Jadd means 'grandfather', 'good fortune' or 'majesty'; in Quran 72:3 it describes the majesty of Allah. The best-known bearer, Jadd ibn Qays, is reported to have been among the hypocrites who refused to join Tabuk (linked to 9:49).

Jahimah means 'frowning' or 'grim-faced'. It also sounds close to 'Jahim' (Hellfire) in Urdu, which parents may find off-putting.

Jahjah means 'one who shouts loudly to drive something off'. The meaning is harsh and the sound is awkward in Urdu.

Jarad means 'locust', which the Quran mentions as a punishment sent on Pharaoh's people (7:133).

Jarw means 'puppy' or 'cub', which reads badly as a name.

Jashib means 'coarse' or 'rough' (used of plain food or cloth). The meaning is not attractive for a name.

Jathjath is a bitter desert herb. It is not forbidden, but the meaning is plain and the sound is harsh in Urdu.

Jibrail is the name of the angel of revelation. Scholars differ: Darul Uloom Deoband says it is permissible, while Jamia Binoria rules it makruh, noting that Imam Malik disliked naming people after angels.

Jibreel is the angel of revelation. The Malaysia Mufti rules angel names makruh and Jamia Binoria also dislikes them, while Darul Uloom Deoband says it is permissible.

Judayy means 'little kid-goat', which is harmless. The problem is that in Urdu it sounds like 'judai' (separation), a sad word.

Judjud means 'cricket' (the insect). An insect name is not forbidden but is an unattractive meaning for a child.

Julas means 'one who sits with others', but al-Julas ibn Suwayd is remembered as one accused of hypocrisy (linked to Quran 9:74) before he repented.

Jurmuz means a small basin, which is harmless. But the name is best known through Ibn Jurmuz, who killed the Companion Zubayr (RA), an unfortunate association.

In classical Arabic Jurthum means 'root' or 'origin', which is fine. But in modern Urdu 'jarsoom' means 'germ' or 'microbe', so the name will be misunderstood.

Kaila is the English name Kayla, but in Urdu it sounds like 'kela' (banana), so the child may be teased.

Pakistanis will read Kaneezah as the Persian/Urdu 'kaneez', meaning maidservant or slave girl. The Arabic sense ('firm, sturdy') is obscure and few people know it.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: The hard pad on a camel's chest. Name of a Sahabi; see Bukhari 3074, reviewer may keep hidden.

Khair-un-Nisa means 'the best of women', which is strong self-praise; the Malaysia Mufti encourages changing it for that reason. It is used in South Asia, but the Prophet ﷺ disliked names that praise oneself.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Clumsy, unskilled woman. Unflattering meaning; reviewer should consider marking Problematic. Sahabiyah not verified.

Khurafah means 'myth' or 'tall tale', and in Urdu 'khurafat' means superstition or nonsense. A child would be teased with it.

Laiya is a rare word for a yellow-flowered plant. Darul Uloom Deoband says not to keep it, though Banuri Town lists it as a good-meaning name, so scholars differ.

In Persian/Urdu Maheen means 'fine, thin, delicate', which also carries the sense 'weak'; in Arabic مَهِين means 'despised, contemptible' (Quran 32:8, 43:52). Darul Uloom Deoband advises choosing a better name.

Mani (مانی) is the name of the founder of the Manichaean religion, also remembered in Urdu poetry as a master painter. The meaning 'one who prevents' belongs to a different Arabic word (مانع), which is also a name of Allah (al-Mani').

Marut is one of the two angels sent to Babylon as a test, linked in Quran 2:102 with teaching magic. Because of this link, it is not used as a baby name.

Mashi simply means 'walker', which is harmless. But in Urdu-Punjabi 'masi/mashi' means aunt (mother's sister) or a maid, so it reads oddly as a boy's name.

Maznun means 'suspected, doubtful', which is a poor meaning for a name.

Mikail is the name of the angel in charge of rain and provision. Scholars differ: Darul Uloom Deoband allows it, while Jamia Binoria and the Malaysia Mufti say angels' names should not be given.

Miraal has no meaning in reliable dictionaries, and Jamia Binoria excluded it for that reason.

Misha is a Russian nickname for boys named Mikhail (Michael). The local meanings given for it are not verified.

Miskeenah means 'poor, needy, wretched'. In Urdu 'miskeen' is used for a pitiable or helpless person, so it is an embarrassing name.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Heedless, simple-minded. Name of several Sahaba (e.g. Abdullah ibn Mughaffal). Unflattering meaning.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: One who stirs up quarrels between others. Name of a Sahabi (also Mukharrish). Bad meaning; reviewer may keep hidden.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: From jasha': one who vies eagerly (greedily). Name of a Sahabi (Mujashi ibn Mas'ud). Unflattering root.

Manaf was the name of a pre-Islamic idol (as in Abd Manaf), and Darul Uloom Deoband says this name is not right. The claim that a Badr Sahabi had this name could not be confirmed.

Better choice: Muneef

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Crippled, unable to stand. Name of a Sahabi (by one opinion). Reads very badly in Urdu; keep hidden.

Murrah means 'bitter'. Dawat-e-Islami calls it makruh as a bad name, and Egypt's Dar al-Ifta lists it among the ugliest names, although Sahabah and an ancestor of the Prophet ﷺ carried it.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Running out, exhaustion. Name of a Sahabi

Naheed is Persian for the planet Venus, which in old Persian belief was tied to the goddess Anahita, and the similar Arabic word ناهد refers to a girl reaching puberty. It is widely used in Pakistan, but the meaning is not ideal.

Better choice: Zahra

Nahshal means 'wolf' or 'lean and swift', a harsh connotation for a name; it is also a tribal clan name.

Najih means 'successful', but the Prophet ﷺ advised not to name servants Najih, Aflah, Rabah or Yasar, because 'Najih is not here' sounds like 'there is no success here' (Muslim 2137). Dawat-e-Islami and Jordan Iftaa call it makruh.

Nakira means 'unknown' or 'denied', from the same root as 'munkar' (evil). In Urdu 'nakara' also sounds like 'useless', so it reads badly.

Naqb means 'a breach or tunnel', and in Urdu 'naqb-zani' means burglary. A child could be teased with it.

Nasiyy means 'forgotten' or 'discarded', as in Maryam's words 'nasyan mansiyya' (utterly forgotten) in Quran 19:23. It is a sad meaning for a child.

Nu'ma means 'joy, delight'. Jordan Iftaa notes some scholars disliked it because a reply like 'Nu'ma is not here' sounds like 'there is no blessing here', the same reasoning the Prophet ﷺ gave for names like Najih and Aflah. This is a mild concern.

Nuqayr means the tiny speck on a date stone, i.e. something worthless. The Quran (4:53, 4:124) uses 'naqir' for the smallest amount.

Qati' means 'one who cuts off', and in Urdu 'qata-e-rehmi' (cutting family ties) is a well-known sin. The meaning is poor for a name.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Diminutive of qatilah: one slain. Name of a Sahabiyah. Unpleasant meaning.

Raddad means 'one who rejects or turns back', which is a poor meaning for a name.

In Urdu/Persian Rana means graceful and lovely, but in Arabic ra'na' (رعناء) means foolish or frivolous. It is widely used in Pakistan; parents should know about the Arabic meaning.

Ravish is Persian for 'manner, way'. Darul Uloom Deoband says there is nothing wrong in it but it is not a good boy's name, and advises names of prophets or Sahaba; in Hindi it is also a Hindu name meaning 'lord of the sun'.

Written as ربقہ, the Arabic word means a noose or rope loop, and Darul Uloom Deoband advises against it for that reason. The wife of Prophet Ishaq (AS) is called Rifqah (رفقہ) in Arabic, which is a different spelling.

Riya is a Hindi name, but in Urdu and Arabic riya (ریا) means showing off in worship, which is a sin (minor shirk). Pakistani readers will think of that meaning.

Ruman is a respected name: Umm Ruman (RA) was the mother of Aishah (RA). But in Urdu رومان means 'romance', so the name may be misunderstood.

Ruhayn means 'little pledge' or 'hostage', someone held as security (compare 'rahin' in Quran 52:21). The meaning suggests being held captive.

Saf'ah means a dark mark or blackened patch, and also a slap. It is not a pleasant meaning for a name.

Read as Arabic, safilah means 'lowly, base' (the same root as 'asfala safileen', the lowest of the low, Quran 95:5).

Safiya is a fine name, but 'Rahman' is a name of Allah that should not be used for a person without 'Abd' or 'Amat' before it. Darul Uloom Deoband advises keeping Safiya alone or using Amatur Rahman.

Better choice: Safiya / Amatur Rahman

Saiqa means thunderbolt; in the Quran sa'iqah is the destructive punishment that struck the nations of Aad and Thamud (41:13, 51:44). It is common in Pakistan, but the meaning is harsh.

Sa'r means 'flame, blaze' (also price); in the Quran this root is used for madness and Hellfire (54:24, 54:47).

Shihab means a flame or shooting star (used against devils in Quran 72:9). The Prophet ﷺ changed the name Shihab to Hisham (Sunan Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Adab), and Dawat-e-Islami calls it makruh on its own; Shihab-ud-Din is fine.

Better choice: Shihab-ud-Din

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Old, worn water-skin. Name of a Sahabi

Simreen comes from Simran, a Sikh devotional term for remembering God; it is mostly a Sikh/Punjabi name with non-Muslim religious usage.

Sirhan means 'wolf'. It is used in the Arab world, but the meaning is a predator and the name is also known through Sirhan Sirhan, who assassinated Robert Kennedy.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Nits (lice eggs). Name of a Sahabi; unflattering meaning

Su'ayr means 'little flame' and is very close to sa'ir, a Quranic name for Hellfire (4:10).

Subhan (سبحان) is the word of glorification used only for Allah (Subhan Allah), meaning free of all faults. Jamia Binoria and Darul Uloom Deoband advise not keeping it alone; Abdul Subhan is better.

Better choice: Abdul Subhan

Spelled with ص (صبحان) it means 'bright-faced, handsome', which is good, but it sounds exactly like سبحان, a word used only for Allah. Darul Uloom Deoband advised choosing another name, though Banuri Town lists it as good.

Sufra means 'yellowness', which in Arabic also suggests a pale, sickly or bilious look. It also sounds like Urdu 'sufra' (a cloth spread for meals), so it reads oddly as a name.

Sulaf means the first and finest juice pressed from grapes, and in classical Arabic poetry it mainly means fine wine. Because of the wine meaning, it is a poor choice.

In Arabic tahawwur means recklessness or rashness, which is a bad trait. In Urdu it is used for bravery, which is why it is common in Pakistan.

Better choice: Shuja

Tarannum means singing or a melodious tune. Darul Uloom Deoband says a better name should be chosen.

Tarannum means singing or a melodious tune. Darul Uloom Deoband says a better name should be chosen; it is also mostly used for girls.

Ta-Sin are disconnected Quranic letters (Quran 27:1) whose meaning only Allah knows; the claim that it is a name of the Prophet ﷺ is disputed. Many scholars discourage naming children with muqatta'at letters.

Tashbeeb is a poetry term for the romantic opening of a qasida describing a woman. It is not normally used as a name and the meaning is unsuitable.

As written (تحزین), the Arabic word means 'causing grief, making sad'. The parents probably intended Tazeen (adornment) or Tahseen (improvement).

Better choice: Tazeen

Thuwair means 'little bull'. It is not forbidden, but it is unusual and unattractive as a name in Urdu.

Uqqar in classical Arabic means wine (also medicinal herbs), so the meaning is unsuitable for a Muslim name.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Diminutive of 'athm: a bone that has knit badly. Name of a Sahabi. Unflattering meaning.

Utayy means 'defiance' or 'arrogance' (and also extreme old age). The Quran mostly uses this word in a negative sense (19:69).

Wahwah is an imitative sound for a rasping or panting cry and has no real meaning. In Urdu it sounds like 'wah wah' (applause), so a child may be teased.

Ya'fur means a dusty-coloured gazelle, which is a fine meaning. However, it is best known as the name of the Prophet's ﷺ donkey, so people may make that connection.

Yarbu' means 'jerboa', a desert rodent like a rat. It is not forbidden, but a rodent's name is an unattractive meaning for a child in Urdu-speaking homes.

Ya-Sin are disconnected Quranic letters (Quran 36:1) whose meaning only Allah knows; Dawat-e-Islami calls naming a child Yaseen (even Muhammad Yaseen) makruh, and Imam Malik disliked it. Other scholars, and Banuri Town's list, count it among the names of the Prophet ﷺ, so scholars differ.

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: A boy who does not grow well; an undernourished youth. Name of a Sahabi (by one opinion). Unflattering meaning; reviewer may keep hidden.

Zainuddin means 'adornment of the faith'. Scholars differ: Dawat-e-Islami calls such titles makruh because they praise oneself, while Darul Uloom Deoband regards it as a good, recommended name.

Zaleem means 'male ostrich' in Arabic, which is harmless. But in Urdu it sounds almost the same as 'zalim' (oppressor), so it will be misunderstood.

Zalim means 'oppressor, wrongdoer', a trait the Quran repeatedly condemns. Jordan Iftaa calls it an ugly, disliked name.

Better choice: Adil

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Loss, harm. Unsuitable meaning; flagged Problematic. Arabic zayyan (adorner) is a different word.

Better choice: Ziya

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Darnel, a weed growing among wheat. Unflattering; reviewer may mark Problematic.

Zohar means 'radiance' in Hebrew, but the Zohar is the main book of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah). It can also be confused with the Arabic 'zuhr' (noon prayer).

Zubd/Zabad means 'foam, froth'; the Quran uses it for scum that vanishes as worthless (13:17).

Unflattering meaning. Meaning: Diminutive of zanamah: the skin-tag hanging at a goat's throat. Name of a Sahabi (by one opinion). Reads as zaneem in Urdu; keep hidden.