The most popular baby names among Muslim parents
Welcome to our list of popular baby names among Muslim parents in Malaysia. The richness of the Malay Muslim culture and naming traditions are clear in this list. Babies in this community don’t get just one name -- they often enjoy two, three and occasionally, even four, names.
From the beautiful and simple Aina and the more esoteric Cinta, to the triple-barrel Noor Afiqah Alya, Muslim parents in Malaysia draw from a mix of Malay and Arabic cultures as well as other Muslim cultures around the world for their babies’ names. Some parents have also co-opted names from European and other world cultures as well, naming their baby girls Ava and Nadine, and their baby boys Vigil, Noah and Mikhail.
From the beautiful and simple Aina and the more esoteric Cinta, to the triple-barrel Noor Afiqah Alya, Muslim parents in Malaysia draw from a mix of Malay and Arabic cultures as well as other Muslim cultures around the world for their babies’ names. Some parents have also co-opted names from European and other world cultures as well, naming their baby girls Ava and Nadine, and their baby boys Vigil, Noah and Mikhail.
Top 10 girls' and boys' names
Top 10 girls’ names
| Top 10 boys’ names |
|---|---|
1. Nur (also Noor)
|
1. Mohamed (all spellings)
|
2. Damia
|
2. Adam
|
3. Alya
|
3. Rayyan
|
4. Aleesya (also Alisya, Elysia and Allysha)
|
4. Ahmad
|
5. Hana (also spelled Hannah)
|
5. Danish
|
6. Arissa
|
6. Hakimi
|
7. Humaira
|
7. Aqil
|
8. Maisara
|
8. Ashraff
|
9. Aishah
|
9. Danial
|
10. Iman
|
10. Haris
|
Multiple names
Some parents take a more is more approach to their baby's names, choosing three or four names for their boy or girl. However, the majority of Muslim babies in Malaysia are given double names, such as Hana Humaira, Nur Marissa, Mohamed Adam and Intan Dayana.
Nur (light) and its variation Noor are by far the most popular first element of double names for baby girls. Muhammad (one who is praiseworthy; a Prophet), and all its variations such as Mohamed and Mohamad, are the overwhelming favourite for baby boys. In many families, siblings share the same first element and identify themselves by their second names. Hence, three brothers could well be named Mohamed Faisal, Mohamed Fitri and Mohamed Firdaus; in everyday situations, they would simply identify as Faisal, Fitri and Firdaus.
Creative approaches
For Muslim parents in Malaysia, creativity counts when it comes to baby names. Even when they go retro with a classic such as Ahmad, it is combined with something more contemporary, such as Danial or Rayyan.
Indeed, BabyCenter Malaysia’s Muslim parents have shown themselves to be incredibly creative, both in arranging the order of baby’s two or three names and in the way they spell the names. Aleesya, a top contender in our annual list of favourite Malaysian baby names, is also spelled Alisya, Elysia and Allysha. Aishah, another firm favourite, rubs shoulders with the likes of Aisya and Ayshah. As for little Hisyamuddyn, we have to wonder if his parents had thought to spare him a lifetime of correcting the way his name is spelled!
This unabashed creativity hints at a great desire amongst parents to give their babies unique and original names. Clearly, they have searched long and far for just the right moniker, and this has thrown up a few surprises, putting names on the list that many would have thought unusual a decade ago. A big favourite on our girls’ list, Damia. It is thought to be of Greek origin, but is also the name of a city in Jordan. Humaira (also commonly spelled Humayra) means "red" or "reddish" in Arabic, and is said to be a nickname the Prophet gave to his wife Aishah.
For boys, the name Mohamed reigns supreme, leaving Adam and Rayyan, ranked second and third respectively, trailing far, far behind. In fact, the name Mohamed is so dominant that it is certain to head our baby names lists for many years to come.
For more inspiration, read about favourite Muslim names in the UK or go to our BabyNamer which has 16,000 names from all over the world.
This unabashed creativity hints at a great desire amongst parents to give their babies unique and original names. Clearly, they have searched long and far for just the right moniker, and this has thrown up a few surprises, putting names on the list that many would have thought unusual a decade ago. A big favourite on our girls’ list, Damia. It is thought to be of Greek origin, but is also the name of a city in Jordan. Humaira (also commonly spelled Humayra) means "red" or "reddish" in Arabic, and is said to be a nickname the Prophet gave to his wife Aishah.
For boys, the name Mohamed reigns supreme, leaving Adam and Rayyan, ranked second and third respectively, trailing far, far behind. In fact, the name Mohamed is so dominant that it is certain to head our baby names lists for many years to come.
For more inspiration, read about favourite Muslim names in the UK or go to our BabyNamer which has 16,000 names from all over the world.
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