Islamic Boy's Name

[Boulders]

Am liking Zakir, Zak for short. Do you think that it ok to shorten the name?

Any opinions on the name or suggestions of others that are suitable as a western cross-over name?

[TotalChaos]

Not a Muslim so can't comment on Zak. Other name that springs to mind is Yaqub - for Jake/Jacob.

[saadia]

I don't know what it means so don't know about shortening it. Friends have called their dss Adam (Aadam) and Daniyal, which cross over well.

[helpivegottogivebirth]

We have friends also gone for Adam and Abraham...

[blametheparents]

I really like Imran

[notevenamousie]

Sounds easy to pronounce to me, and a nice name too. What does it mean, do YOU like it - it's your baby, and people will just have to get used to what you choose, you have the bigggest say in it all.

[needmorecoffee]

I like it. Good shortening too.

[Nighbynight]

Zakir very nice.

I might also go for Ali, because it is just so common in the uk now, so doesn't sound as "foreign" as it would have done 50 years ago.

Must admit this is a difficult one though.

[littleducks]

ds was going to be a Zakir, as dh didnt want Zakariah i still like it

ds is actually a Kaasim which we spelt that way to be easier to say from sight than spelt Qasim

[oldkingcolewasaMOS]

Mohammed has to be the most obvious one, usually shortened to Hummad (where we live)
Our houseboy is called Zakir (he is muslim from Bangledesh) but I've never heard anyone call him Zak although it would work nicely.
Other people we know where we live (In Sauid) are Akbar, Mataab, Sayid (not sure of spelling) all of which are nice.

[tribpot]

Some Muslim friends of mine have two little boys, Zakariah and Ibrahim. Some (non Muslim) friends of mine have said "Ibrahim, it sounds like you're saying Abraham but with a South African accent!" I still like the name, though.

[DonutMum]

Am in Bahrain and like the names Faris and Faisal, especially Faris.

[cazboldy]

my nephew is called Musa

[Gorionine]

We have a Nouredine and a Zachariah. I like Yunes as well!

[SnowMuchToBits]

One of ds's best friends is an Alireza which I love. Can be shortened to Ali if you like. Great name. His dad is an Esmaiel, shortened to Essi, also good.

[thirdname]

some of these don't sound very "Western cross-over" to me???
But have friends with Adam, Danyal, Zak,

[thirdname]

o and Rees/Reece, Kamran/Cameron

[Gorionine]

A lot of muslim names are Prophets from the Quran. They sound familiar to westeners because most our prophets are shared with the old testament.

[SnowMuchToBits]

Ali and Reza are both prophets (or Islamic saints) according to Alireza's dad. I think it makes a great name.

[lauralou1]

hi iam pregnant and we are calling our little boy kerim a very good muslim name and easy for others to say

[CoteDAzur]

Islam recognizes only a handful of prophets: Mohammad, Jesus, Moses and a few others. Ali and Reza are not prophets. And correct me if I'm wrong but Islam has no "saints" that I am aware of.

[littleducks]

Ali Reza were not prophets, shia muslims say they are imams which often translates to 'saints' when speaking to english speaking christians which isnt strictly true but an easy comparism

[leothelioness]

we have a Zia (too short to make it shorter but everyone can say it) and Shiraz which could have a few shortenings but we use it just as it is) I also like Adam.

By the way Cote islam recognises 147000 prophets but only a few are named in the Quran. No saints as far as I am aware either

[CoteDAzur]

Imam does not mean 'saint', not by any stretch of the imagination.

Ali was not just an imam. That is a highly significant name for Shia Muslims. I don't know of a Reza of great religious importance. Ali Reza was another Shia imam, though.

leo - I have never heard of 147000 prophets "recognized by Islam". If it's not in Quran, is it in hadith (I doubt it). And if not, where is it? And what does "recognized by Islam" mean in that context?

Sorry for thread hijack but I'm intrigued.

[littleducks]

Ali is the first imam for shia muslims, as i said saint is strictly true but is a comparison used regularly, as sunni islam is paralleled to protestant christianity and shia islam to catholism

[CoteDAzur]

Yes, he is, but Ali has a much higher significance for Shia. Hint: He is the reason for the Shia/Sunni division of Islam.

I'm sorry but there is no such shia/protestant, sunni/catholic "parallel". They are totally different divisions of very different religions. Shia don't believe in anything comparable to saints, either.

Maybe these are comparisons "used regularly" in the UK, by converts into Islam from Christianity, who need a frame of reference from within Christianity. But elsewhere, I can assure you, no such "use" exists.